


The Unlikely Inquisitor

by DraceDomino



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Adventure, Combat, Game Events, Retelling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-27
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2019-05-14 15:27:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 23,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14772248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DraceDomino/pseuds/DraceDomino
Summary: When the Conclave is interrupted by a terrible explosion, demons begin to pour out of a horrible gateway in the sky known as the Breach. The only link Cassandra Pentaghast can find is the Conclave's sole survivor - a scrawny elf girl named Shissa. How is Shissa connected with what happened? Does the key to setting the world right lay with her? And most importantly, can Cassandra keep her safe long enough to find out?An ongoing retelling of Dragon Age: Inquisition, including new twists and turns, a few new characters, and an ultimately different conclusion.Note: This is a General Audiences work and is completely SFW. (I mention that because, uh, most of my work...isn't. >.>)





	1. Seeking Protection

The Unlikely Inquisitor  
Chapter One: Seeking Protection  
-by Drace Domino

The Conclave had been destroyed, Divine Justinia V killed, and a glowing green breach in the sky spoke of a grim future for Thedas. How could Seeker Pentaghast possibly find the space for compassion given the circumstances? As she marched towards the keep where the guards held the culprit in custody, her eyes were narrow and her heart raced with conflicting emotions. Grief...so much grief, for the loss of those she admired and the loss of those she knew. What had happened was the single biggest loss to the Chantry in generations, a calamity that had no equal outside of ancient wars with Tevinter. And the only thing they had to go on was...was…

The Seeker paused just a few steps before the door, and took a long, deep breath as she steeled her resolve. In all her years with the Chantry, nothing had been quite so challenging as what she was about to do. Not battling dragons, not fending off Darkspawn or corrupted mages, not even pursuing the maniac of Kirkwall. Those were at tests that challenged her strength, and she was a woman that had copious amounts of it. For the first time, the Maker saw fit to challenge her heart...and she was sorely afraid that she would make the wrong choice in this crucial, crucial moment. With a sigh, the Seeker marched forward as the guards opened the door, casting light in the otherwise nearly pitch black room. As she stepped inside she took note of all the guards still standing healthy and sentinel, as well as the lingering presence of her dear friend Leliana stepping towards her from the side. And there, in the center of the room...the only suspect they had for the butchering of the Conclave.

“...she’s…” Cassandra murmured, her eyes narrowing just as the doors closed behind them and filled the room with darkness once more. “...she’s so small, Leliana.”

Kneeling in the room with tears in her eyes and a weary look across youthful features was an elven girl; one that hadn’t even struck her teens. She looked short even for her age, and she was so skinny Cassandra found herself immediately wondering if she was a refugee from an alienage. Shaggy dark hair was a complete mess around her head to the point of hiding her ears, but the bone structure of her cheeks gave away her heritage. The poor thing was dressed in rags and covered in dirt, her hands hanging limp at her side. As Leliana and Cassandra stood before her the little thing looked up at the pair, sniffling and biting her bottom lip in a clear sign of just how frightened she was.

“She’s small, but it’s as you read in the message.” Leliana was the first to speak, folding her hands behind her back and giving the girl a measured glance. The bard had plenty of compassion; of course, but all things were put aside for the security of the remaining soldiers. For now, refusing to allow the guards to shackle her had been the extent of Leliana’s kindness to the tiny thing. “Her left hand, Cassandra. She’s absolutely connected.”

As if on queue, a sudden flare of power erupted from the elf girl’s hand. The guards readied their blades and even Cassandra took a step back, nearly ready to lift her shield until she saw the pain crossing the elf girl’s face. As green light flashed within the room and a sparking, foul energy bounced about her fingers, the poor thing’s wail was genuine and heartbreaking. By the time the flare finished she had fallen to her hands and knees, quietly sobbing again as she grasped the wrist of her left arm.

The two Chantry women exchanged glances, and Leliana took a half-step back to allow Cassandra the floor. This was the Seeker’s call to make, and she wasn’t about to wrestle her for the privilege. With a soft sigh, Cassandra finally stepped forward to approach the strange prisoner, taking a knee and speaking in a voice that was firm, steady, and stoic. Just as she would to any other prisoner.

“What do you know about what happened at the Conclave?” She spoke, her voice ringing close to a fierce demand. She even pointed to the girl’s hand, which still twitched from spasms of pain. “Your hand...did you do this? Is the Breach there because of something you did?” When the girl looked up at Cassandra through sweat-licked black hair and with weary, sorrow-filled eyes, it was immediately enough to make the Seeker regret her tone.

“I don’t know anything!” She pleaded, voice half-swallowed by sobs and grief. A heavy sniffle followed and she looked around from side to side like a nervous mouse, surrounded on all sides by angry, hungry cats. “I can’t...I can’t remember anything that happened! I was in the woods, and then...light...and...and spiders…”

“Spiders?” Leliana mused from behind, lifting a brow and speaking in a thoughtful voice. “The Chantry would’ve purged any nests before hosting the Conclave for safety purposes.”

“There were so many!” The girl practically wailed, looking up to Leliana with fear trembling in her eyes. When her hand felt better she pulled them both up to her chest, cowering within herself as she spoke. “I was being chased...I kept slipping, and then...this lady...she pulled me up. She was nice. I felt safe. But then...then…”

“She was found unconscious, Seeker.” Leliana finished the girl’s thought. “No spiders were anywhere near her...or any woman.”

“I’m not prepared to dismiss her story, Leliana.” Cassandra quickly responded, casting a look over her shoulder before gazing back to the girl. There were certainly those in the Chantry that would have been much rougher with an elf, likely willing to throw her around and beat the information they wanted out of her. Such was not the Maker’s way...but cruelty always seemed to find a way into the hearts of those with power over the weak. Cassandra Pentaghast was no such monster, and she would resist every impulse that could lead down that path. When she spoke to the girl once more it was with a gentle voice, and she turned a hand towards her with an upturned gauntlet. “My name is Seeker Cassandra, child. Do you remember yours?”

A terrified thing in a field of dangers and fears, the girl looked to Cassandra as the only offered gentleness within her recent memory. She moved her hand out to rest it in Cassandra’s metal-clad palm, and didn’t flinch when the Seeker closed her fingers about it in supportive fashion. If anything, there was a feeling of safety that crossed her face, one that Cassandra was happy to encourage.

“My...my name is Shissa.” The girl finally responded, still with tears on her cheeks but with a trace of bravery creeping into her voice. As Cassandra started to stand she took the girl’s hand along with her, eventually pulling her up to her feet. The girl’s hand naturally folded into Cassandra’s and locked around the gauntlet - something that the Seeker clearly didn’t intend on, but didn’t have the nerve to push away. As the elf girl held onto the larger woman’s hand she let her voice squeak out again, trying her best to sound like she wasn’t terrified about everything that happened. “Can we go someplace else? Please?”

At that, Cassandra turned her face to gaze down at the young thing, and a heavy sigh rose from her chest once more.

“We are, Shissa.” She began, but had to regrettably follow that statement with a warning. “But I fear...I must take you someplace even more dangerous and frightening.”

***

When Shissa had first laid eyes on Seeker Cassandra, she had been afraid of her just like she was afraid of the whole world in that moment. Now, as they crept through the snowy passes of the mountain to a destination Shissa still didn’t know, she couldn’t imagine taking a single step without the woman protecting her. The little elf had nothing to protect herself as they moved steadily up the path, flinching against the cold chill and closing her eyes tight every time she heard the sound of chaos or conflict in the distance. The mountain was still very much a war zone, though her young mind didn’t yet know the sort of horrors that the Chantry soldiers were waging that war against.

“M-Ma’am! Ma’am, I’m...oof!” As they trudged through the heavy snow Cassandra’s head turned around just in time to see the elf girl fall forward, landing into a bank of it with a poof of white that quickly settled across her. For snow that was already as deep as Cassandra’s shins, it made sense that the little waif of a thing had trouble. Immediately she tried to press herself up from her prone position, shaking her head from side to side to dispel some of the snow as best she was able. “I’m sorry, ma’am! I’ll try to keep up!”

“You’re doing fine, Shissa.” Cassandra’s voice followed, and she ensured they were out of sight of any dangers before turning to face her. Stepping quickly through the snow, the Seeker knelt down before the girl, bracing her hands against her shoulders and helping steady her to her feet. As she brought an armored hand up to ruffle the girl’s dark hair, the Seeker provided her with the kindest thing she could think of - a smile to help give her some courage. “We’re almost at the halfway point. It’s an outpost; there were merchants there before all this happened. I’m sure we’ll be able to find something there to keep you warm.”

“Warm would be...good.” The rosy-cheeked elf offered in return, and once more put on her bravest face. As Cassandra held the girl’s shoulders Shissa once more flinched from the distant noise, drawing herself naturally close to her protector at the sound of it. Though she had long since stopped her crying the girl’s fear and sorrow was still worn on her face, streaks of wet that were frosting over in the cold. Despite that the girl managed to stand as tall as she was able, even if she wasn’t able to completely keep up with the soldier. “I’m right behind you, ma’am.”

“...no, you’re not.” Cassandra observed, and clicked her tongue to the roof of her mouth. With a gentle pull she removed her shield from her back, slinging her arm into the straps and properly equipping it. While Shissa still gave her a curious look Cassandra offered the girl a smile, and took a half-step back for her to lead the way forward. “You’re right in front of me. I’ll keep you safe from the wind while we walk.”

Shissa didn’t complain, hopping instantly forward and working her way through the thick snow that continued to pour down. It was almost immediately easier for her to deal with the cold thanks to Cassandra’s shield; the wind bouncing off of it and sweeping over well past the point that Shissa was hiding. It was hardly a perfect solution, but it would be enough to keep the girl from freezing before they got there. Cassandra’s steps moved only as quickly as the girl was able to keep up, focusing on the path ahead.

“That’s it. You’re a brave girl to lead the way.” Cassandra smiled as she continued plodding along, even though it was her own motions that were truly carving the path ahead. When she noticed Shissa struggle in her steps the Seeker even found herself hoping to console her, or at the very least, make the embarrassment of the march lesser on her heart. “You’re going so fast, Shissa. Slow down a bit, I might not be able to keep up otherwise.”

For Seeker Cassandra, it was an awkward walk, but as they continued it became less so. The woman had never dealt with children in such a situation; or at the very least, not in the same horrible circumstances. Typically her interactions with endangered children was to hand them over to the Chantry to be tended to, but there were no ley sisters that could escort the girl to their destination. From time to time Cassandra gazed up to the sky to see that massive glowing Breach, and her heart began to race all the faster. Would the girl realize where they were headed by the time they got there? If she did...would she try to run? Hard questions that the Seeker didn’t want to dwell on, so much as she wished to keep moving forward and finish their troublesome task.

As they made their way closer and closer to the outpost, the sound of conflict drew even closer. Rounding a corner to see a gentle path leading up, the first sign of combat made its way to them. Flashes of energy and magical fire were erupting in the air, and the noise of metal on flesh could be distinctly heard. All of that set against a backdrop of grotesque creatures doing combat with some guards, monsters that Cassandra instantly recognized.

“Demons!” She called out, and her free hand swiftly pulled her sword free of its sheath. The Seeker rushed ahead of the girl and very nearly charged into battle - at least until she remembered her charge and gave a look back. For the first time the Seeker let her worry mask over her face; an uncertainty that was quite apparent. Rush ahead to leave the girl alone to watch? Or dare bring her into battle? Thankfully, it wasn’t on the Seeker to make the call, and Shissa called out to the older woman as she darted to the nearby treeline.

“I’ll hide over here!” She was quick with her steps, clearly having saved some of her energy for that dash. “Please be careful!” Seeker Cassandra merely watched the girl dart behind a nearby stump and lower herself down to the ground, practically vanishing from sight thanks to her tiny size. Without distraction on the table any longer she could swing herself back up the path and rush to assist the soldiers at the top of the hill.

As Seeker Cassandra darted away, Shissa trembled behind the stump and watched with large, frightened eyes. She had smartly given the Seeker the chance to do her duty, but it made it no easier for the girl to hide away and leave the side of her protector. It was a decision that led to a dizzying few moments for the girl, and it all started as she saw her new friend clash with the monsters up the hill. Time seemed to slow as her heart began to race, biting down on her bottom lip as she saw Cassandra swing her blade into the flesh of the wicked creatures. Before long she was able to make out the sight of others helping to fight off the demons - a dwarf with a strange looking crossbow and a bald elf that had been the source of the magic spells. The three of them together were fighting off the demons with a professional expertise, though still Shissa couldn’t help but flinch in fear every time one of the creatures swung for them.

The battle was only half of Shissa’s dizzying encounter. No sooner did the last demon fall was the elf rushing towards her; hopping across the snow bank and reaching a hand down to claim her wrist. He pulled her up quickly without any of the consideration or care that Cassandra showed, only calling out to her as he began dragging her right up the hill.

“Girl, come! Quickly!” His voice was sharp and almost venomous as he pulled her up to the top to reveal the most terrifying thing of all - a vibrant green portal in the middle of the clearing. Instantly Shissa’s heart leapt in her throat and she did her best to pull away, though the elf was too strong as he thrust the girl’s hand forward to point it at the portal.

“Solas, be gentle!” Cassandra snapped angrily, moving forward towards the elf with irate intent. Even the dwarf seemed displeased with him, glaring as he pulled a crossbow bolt out of one of the demon’s ashes.

“Chuckles, what’s wrong with you?!” He growled. “You hurt that kid, and we’re going to have words!”

“There’s no time!” Solas hissed back in irritation, waving Cassandra away as he tightened his grasp on Shissa’s wrist. As he thrust the girl’s left arm forward a spark of energy flowed from his fingers into the smaller elf’s hand, and he looked at her with focused and urgent intent in his eyes. Rushed and tactless, yes, but not necessarily cruel. “Focus! You can close this portal!”

Poor Shissa was still struggling to keep up; between the smells of battle, the chill of the cold, the cries of the dwarf and Cassandra...a battle was no place for a child, and she was very, very overwhelmed. When the energy that Solas ushered into her wrist flowed through her enchanted hand and into her fingers; however, it was enough to send a shockwave of pain through her just as the unleashed energy rushed forward.

“Ahhhhh!” Her scream carried over the hill, and her knees went so weak that she would’ve crumpled to the floor had Solas’ grip not been so fierce. Threads of green energy connected her fingers and palm to the swirling portal, and the sound of crackling static erupted in louder and louder flashes. At the loudest trembles of noise the pain was the most intense, and the poor thing’s tears returned under the weight of the traumatic moment. Not even Cassandra stepped forward to help her in that moment, and were she able to put together a thought greater than agony she might have even been upset by it.

And then, just as the pain was nearly unbearable as it rioted through her arm, it ended. The portal suddenly snapped from existence, and the pain left her body as easily as a passing breeze. The only discomfort she felt was the grip of the elf’s hand around her wrist, and even that instantly faded as he held her with more tenderness. In fact, he held his palm around her arm until she was steady on her feet once more, and then offered her a sympathetic smile and a bow of his head.

“I’m dreadfully sorry.” He spoke, voice careful and cautious. “If we didn’t close the rift, more would have arrived in seconds. I apologize if I scared or hurt you, young one.”

Shissa stood there looking between the three of them, flexing her fingers to dismiss any of the last remaining whispers of discomfort. She pulled her sleeve across her face to wipe away the tears marking it, and took in the sight of the three warriors that had been so brave to fight the monsters. If they could fight those horrible creatures, then surely she could stop her tears.

“It...it’s okay.” She looked at the slender bald elf, and tilted her head as she gazed at him. Though she had been too scared to pay perfect attention, she had still heard someone calling out the elf’s name amidst the chaos. “You’re...Chuckles, right?”

The elf’s dropped expression came in perfect harmony with the sound of mirthful laughter from the side. The dwarf swaggered forward with a wide and friendly grin, his unique weapon sheathed on his back and every bit of his body language welcoming. Unlike the sharply angled elf or even the shadowy redhead from back at the keep, the dwarf’s approach made Shissa feel instantly more at ease.

“Ha! Oh, I like her already, Seeker.” The dwarf beamed, taking Shissa by the hand and giving her an elegant, respectful bow. “Varric Tethras, at your service. I’m happy to see that you’re finally awake, Twig.”

“T...Twi-”

“Just ignore him, Shissa.” Cassandra chimed in, rolling her eyes as she stomped forward. With her weapon sheathed once more and her shield ready to block the wind, she looked at Solas and Varric and gestured further up the hill. The outpost was nearby, and dangers could still be lurking to ambush them. She felt a lot better about that fact once she was at Shissa’s side once more and ready to defend her. “We’re almost to the outpost. Solas and Varric will be going with us.” Her tone wasn’t one to be debated - the cargo she was delivering was far too precious to take into such danger alone.

The elf and dwarf exchanged glances, and it was Varric that shrugged with a smile.

“Well...it’s not like we’ve got anything better to do.” He chuckled, and stepped through the snow to begin leading the way again. “Chuckles, how about something to keep the kid warm?”

***  
Fifteen minutes later, Shissa sat with a blanket over her shoulders and a tiny ball of conjured light resting within her palms. Solas had made the ball at Varric’s request, and as she held it the thing radiated warmth throughout her entire tiny body. It didn’t quite diminish the chill of the wind, but it certainly helped and she huddled about it like it was a roaring fire. The outpost was...calmer than the rest of the area, though it wasn’t saying much. The barricades helped to diminish some of the noise, and for the first time Shissa had a chance to sit and think about everything that happened. Fifteen feet away Cassandra and the others were in the midst of a conversation - their voices were low and thoughtful, but Cassandra was standing in such a way that Shissa was constantly in her line of sight. Comforting, just like the ball of warmth and light she held within her palms.

On the other hand, the Breach hung high overhead and made her comfortable to even look at. Every time she stored up enough courage to take a glance that crackling green portal sent shivers down her spine, and she had a hard time shoving away the idea that a giant demon could just come crawling out like a squirrel from its nest. She shuddered deeply at the thought, and was forced to look away from it to the group that was still in the midst of discussion. Leliana had joined them along with an odd little man that seemed angrier than the others - he had pointed at Shissa several times, and each time made her more uneasy. Though it was tricky to hear through the wind and the distance, bits of pieces of their conversation could still be picked up if she tried hard enough.

“--is clearly a demon trick!” The angry little man could be heard to shout. “Turn her---to the Cha--instant, Seeker! --ey’ll know ho--with her!” He even looked back at the elf girl sitting on a barrel and gave her a harsh glare, one that faded as Cassandra reached a hand out and closed one of her gauntlets around the man’s pointing hand.

Shissa couldn’t help but giggle, but did her best to hide it behind the orb of warmth as her new friend squeezed his hand to the point of discomfort. He gave a yelp that carried out over the wind, and when Cassandra released his hand he was forced to snap his fingers back and forth to work out the strain. In the aftermath he was grumbling a lot lower, while Cassandra gave a cool, calm look to the girl in the distance and offered her a tiny smile. Even Varric, who was already chuckling, looked back to Shissa and gave a wink.

Some of her new friends seemed nice. Some...like Solas, were difficult to place. Meeting another elf should’ve been a thing to celebrate, but he...he just wasn’t like other elves she knew. Colder. Distant. The kind that would only use magic to make a little girl more comfortable if a dwarf nagged him into it. Shissa gave a little sigh at the thought and kept her gaze focused on Cassandra and Varric - they seemed like the nicest, and watching the Seeker always seemed to make her feel safe. Even if the woman was going to bring her bad news...which she almost certainly was.

Shissa didn’t interrupt during the entire meeting, but watched with fascination throughout. When the group finally broke away a guard came up to hand Cassandra a bundle of clothes, and the Seeker thanked him before moving towards the elf girl. The stern features of the older woman were able to spare a kindness for the confused and afraid little thing, and soon Cassandra was pushing the bundle into Shissa’s lap as she took a knee before her. Her eyes made sure to meet Shissa’s own, and when she spoke it was with compassion and consideration for her young friend’s plight.

“Here are some warmer clothes for you, Shissa. No more running around in just rags.” She smiled, and tapped an armored finger against one of the girl’s frayed sleeves. “Put them on, we’ll be leaving in ten minutes.”

“Where are…” Shissa looked up at the sky once more, and swallowed with a clear look of fear crossing her features anew. “Where are we going, ma’am?” The look on Cassandra’s face immediately told her what she didn’t want to hear. She dared a glance from the Seeker’s face to the top of the mountain where the Conclave was held, a place where smoke and smoldering ruins danced underneath that horrible green portal in the sky. Even with Cassandra’s sympathetic gaze on her young friend, Shissa was unconsoled and quickly began to shake her head from side to side. “Oh, no no no no, please...please, ma’am, I can’t…”

“Shh. It will be all right, child.” Cassandra cooed, her armored hands moving up to take her shoulders within her grasp. A few bits of snow struck the Seeker’s face but she ignored the sting of the cold, just as she had ignored her own discomfort since putting Shissa within her protection. Whether she was comfortable around children, whether she was stricken with grief over Justinia’s loss...none of those things mattered with the tiny elf’s life in her hands. “I’ll be with you the entire time. Varric and Solas will be coming, too. You’ll be safe every step of the way.”

“But...but...but-but-but-” Panic was setting in, and the longer she looked at the glowing portal in the sky the worse it became. Her little heart was practically beating out of her chest, her tiny, thin body squirming back and forth, and even her breathing had started to become erratic and frantic. It was already a stressful moment for her, and when another wave of pain struck her hand it became all the worse. In fear and agony she shrieked across the outpost as green light crackled from her hand, and as soon as she did nearly every head turned to look at her.

“That child will be the end of what’s left of the Chantry!” The angry little man from earlier suddenly stormed forward, his past condemnation by Cassandra clearly having worn off. Even as Shissa screamed and clutched her hand, he pressed the issue by drawing himself close with fury in his voice. “Seeker, we must bring her to justice! Let the priests decide if she’s to be execu-”

Clearly having no more of such talk, Cassandra snapped to her feet and instantly spun on him. One hand dropped to the hilt of her sword and though she didn’t dare pull it on a member of the Chantry, the threat of it was clearly there as she stomped to his direction and spoke with a bold, brave voice.

“I have made my decision, Chancellor Roderick!” She growled, and her fury was easily enough to make the cowardly lump of a man back down. “If you step any closer to the girl I’ll assume you mean her harm, and I will defend her!”

“I’d listen to her if I was you.” Varric chimed up from the side, a smirk playing on his face and his arms folded across his broad, hairy chest. “If there’s one thing I know about our Seeker, it’s that she means what she says.”

“This...this is an outrage!” Roderick responded, stumbling back yet still retreating. “The priests will hear about this, Seeker, of that I swear! Your actions...your actions today will not go unpunished!”

As Roderick turned back and began practically fleeing the outpost, Cassandra released the grip on her sword and made a disgusted noise. By the time she turned back to Shissa and took a knee before her once more, her expression had changed from irate fury to one of compassion again. Her hands drew forward to rest on the girl’s shoulders, helping to steady her as she met Shissa’s gaze with her own.

“Do not worry about him.” She offered with a slight smile, and gestured in the direction Roderick ran. “He holds nowhere near the power he thinks he does...and he holds none at all over m--”

Cassandra was cut off as the little elf girl closed the distance between them, throwing her arms around Cassandra’s armored body and giving her a tight, desperate hug. Sobbing and trembling were apparent in the embrace, and even a stern woman like Cassandra could tell it was a hug the child desperately needed. Even still, as tiny arms locked around her and a wet face pressed against her throat, the Seeker looked to the others with an expression on her face making it clear she didn’t know what to do.

Leliana merely lifted a brow and smiled, while Varric pantomimed reaching his arms out and hugging the girl back. Finally, the Seeker took the dwarf’s advice and drew her arms around the child, clutching her trembling body close and keeping her as safe as she could manage.

“...shh…” Cassandra whispered, her face half-lost in a tousle of wildly untamed dark hair and her neck increasingly smeared in tears. She allowed her strong arms to remain tight around poor Shissa, all while she pondered the horrible fate that had befallen the child. The mark on her hand...the sole survivor of a horrible calamity. She still didn’t know what role little Shissa would play in things moving forward, and as a soldier all she could do was handle this horrible situation one step at a time. As she looked up to the Breach; however, the Seeker found herself lock her hold about the girl in an all the more protective fashion.

Whoever did this, it was certainly not the innocent child that had gotten swept up into the mix. And whoever the culprit truly was...would never get the chance to hurt Shissa again.

They’d have to make a dangerous journey first to the top of the mountain, and she would be asking big things of the girl. It was only proper that she had someone to keep her safe every step of the way, and if this was the path the Maker had chosen for her then Seeker Cassandra would see it done.

End of Chapter One.


	2. A Child's Courage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the group marched to the ominous Breach hanging high in the sky, Shissa must confront her fears - or at the very least, learn to ignore them long enough to do what needs to be done.

The Unlikely Inquisitor  
Chapter Two: A Child’s Courage  
-by Drace Domino

The path deeper into the mountains had only brought Shissa to all new levels of fear. Just when she thought that her situation could become more hopeless and the quivering in her heart become no more intense, she travelled with Cassandra, Varric, and Solas through treacherous paths to the point where the Conclave used to be. The poor thing had no memory of the location despite the fact she had apparently been snatched from it, and every time she gazed up at the massive green portal floating in the sky she could feel the muscles spasm in her left hand. Something inside of her was deeply connected to the horror that hung so high above, no matter how deeply she shoved her hand into her pocket or wished to the Maker and the elven gods alike that it would stop.

Even at her young age, she came to understand one simple truth about her reality: the only way to reach the end of the path was to go straight through the middle. There was no easy escape, and there was no shortcut. Fate had dealt her of all children a rather cruel hand, and now all she could do was swallow her fear and keep her feet steadily moving, and rely on the protection of the adults that surrounded her.

They were kind...mostly. Solas still made her nervous and she hadn’t forgotten how he had forcefully snatched her hand to close one of the portals. He was intimidating, set with piercing eyes and a judgemental air about him. Unlike the others he didn’t seem particularly interested in helping her along the way - at least any more than he would care about bringing a ladder to fix a leaky roof. Because of that Shissa had been keeping her distance as best as she was able, and when they moved in formation she usually shifted a few spaces over to keep as much distance from him as she could.

“...alright, Twig, time to quit fidgeting.” Varric spoke up after Shissa had rolled to the other side of their group, putting the stretch of a dwarf and human between her and the other elf. The friendly-faced dwarf with the strange mechanical crossbow merely reached out a hand, patting the girl on the shoulder as he offered one of his kindest smiles. “You’re making an old man nervous, you know.”

“Oh! Uh...I-I’m sorry, Mr.--” Shissa’s tiny voice didn’t get the chance to travel far before Varric held up a hand, silencing her in kind fashion. He even moved that same hand out to gently nudge the girl’s shoulder as he continued to walk alongside her.

“None of that. Just Varric.” He smiled, and gestured towards the other pair. “And that’s Seeker. And that’s Chuckles.”

“...Varric.” The voice from Cassandra was how she usually addressed the dwarf; short, curt, and stern. She even tossed him a glance to keep him in check, just before lowering her hand to reach out for Shissa’s own. “Come, child. You’d be best off standing between us, and we’ll keep you safe.”

“Okay…” Came the soft response from the young woman, tromping through the snow as she reached out for Cassandra’s hand. Once she had a hold on it the Seeker helped her with a small tug, yanking her the last few feet. She even kept her grip around Shissa’s own as they continued to walk, helping to keep her moving through the ever-thickening snow and the cold chill that whipped at them. Once she was in her spot by Cassandra the girl smiled softly, already feeling a little safer. Even if it was technically closer to Solas. With Cassandra’s shadow looming over her in the most protective of ways Shissa finally found herself breathing at an easier pace, and her hand still hid within the iron grasp of Cassandra’s armored fingers. “S...Seeker Cassandra? What are we going to do when we get up to the top?”

She could tell instantly that it wasn’t a question that had an easy answer. Solas scowled a little to himself and went even faster, while Varric lingered behind and shook his head with a sigh. The only one that seemed to keep her response somewhat in check was Cassandra herself, who merely tightened her grasp on the child’s hand and gazed down to her with the most supportive look she could offer. With her face framed by that short black hair and her scarred features showing a look of fond protection, the older woman did her best to let her voice match a tone that was comforting...even if she wasn’t used to it.

“I am...not entirely sure, Shissa.” She spoke, even as they continued trenching forward to that grim, glowing destination. “Solas believes you will be able to close the Breach, and since we don’t know anything else about what happened it’s the only option we have. It will be all right, the remainder of the Chantry’s forces will be joining us at the top. You’ll be well protected.”

“But...what do I need to do?” The elf girl’s brow twisted to one of gentle confusion as she desperately tried to find her place in it all. It was a terribly frustrating thing to shove on a girl - the danger, the responsibility, the throbbing pain in her left hand, and of course the whipping cold. She had been tasked with more than any other child had ever been, and all she had for comfort was the chilly grip of an ironclad hand in her own. “What if I mess up? What if...what if people die because of me?!”

The crew came to a hold; Solas and Varric moving ahead before they both lingered in their steps. Solas’ irritation was clear as he paced back and forth with a scowl on his face and flecks of snow clinging to his scalp, while Varric seemed much more sympathetic. It was Cassandra; however, that knelt down and moved her armored hands up to hold the girl’s tiny, trembling shoulders.

“Shissa.” She spoke, her voice gentle enough that it was meant only for the girl. It was a stretch towards a connection, a helping hand offered to make their bond deepen. Cassandra Pentaghast was by no means the woman that most people would’ve expected to see saddled with a child at her hip, but just like Shissa fate had dealt her a unique hand that she would have to rise up to meet. Thankfully, she drew on the resources of others in the Chantry. Instantly her mind wondered what Leliana, her social butterfly of a friend, would do in such a situation. And it was within that thought she found her answer.

Just like the Orlesian bards...she would tell a tale. The only difference was hers was absolutely true.

“Shissa.” The Seeker responded, and moved one of her gauntlets up to nudge the girl’s chin, making their eyes meet for a long moment. She even let a small smile crack across her mature and stern face, as if she was about to reveal a big secret to her young charge. “Do you know that I once slew a dragon?”

That was all it took to distract the young elf girl from her current peril. Her eyes went wide at the words, and it was clear from the very first second she didn’t doubt it. Of all the people she had ever met in her short life, no one seemed quite as capable of it as Cassandra Pentaghast. Her voice reflected that sense of awe as she spoke, speaking with a certain reverence that was clearly meant for only the greatest of heroes.

“Really?!” She half-whispered, her cheeks even darkening in a blush. Granted, she wasn’t quite sure why she was blushing, but Cassandra’s feat was just so darned impressive even upon the most simple mentioning. “H...How? Did it bite you? Did it breathe fire? How old were you?”

“I promise I’ll tell you everything, child.” Cassandra continued, and she moved her hands out to the refugee clothing the girl had been given at the outpost. Her armored gloves took a hold of the hood that was laying slack down her back, and she took great, motherly care in lifting it up and above the girl’s head to protect her further from the cold. “Once we’re finished with our task. In the meantime, I need you to stay close to me, be brave, and keep this hood up.” Her hand rose and gently patted the top, ruffling the girl’s hair through the fabric. “I don’t want you to catch a cold.”

“Y-Yes, ma’am!” Shissa blurted out in outright adoration, and smiled with her fear getting quickly gobbled up by her faith in Cassandra. As the older woman stood and began to walk forward once more, this time the elf child was right at her heels and stepping forward without hesitation. If she thought about things for too long she’d get scared again, true, but all it took to make her feel better was a look in Cassandra’s direction. Strong, noble, and pretty.

She didn’t say as much, but the elf desperately hoped that one day she could become a woman just like Cassandra.

***

The girl’s bravery continued as they kept marching ahead, even if there were times when it felt particularly fragile and raw. She kept her pace behind Cassandra and never strayed too far - at least, with the exception of when demons showed up. They would pop up seemingly from nowhere at any opportunity as the group made their voyage, and each time Cassandra would give a short, sharp cry to command the child to dart into the back lines. Never once did Shissa argue, and she always made sure to dive as deep as she could into the underbrush or a particularly large pile of snow. Cold was better than eaten by demons, after all!

Each time, she watched the three guardians protect her with their lives. Solas was a bit of a mean one, but no one could question his power and skill as he dispatched the creatures with fluid strikes and arcane prowess. Varric was a stylish and sure shot with his bow, always wearing a light smirk as he plinked demons right in what passed for their face. He was just as vocal on the battlefield as he was in person, always quick to call out attacks and gently chide the others when they did well. But more than anything, Shissa found herself watching Cassandra with adoring eyes.

She had slew a dragon! She fought demons without any trace of fear! She was a woman of strength and importance that was easily the more weathered fighter out of the trio. She was a good role model for sure, though Shissa didn’t exactly look at her in that light. Still, the idea to be just like her was infused deeper into the girl’s mind the longer she watched the older woman as she bashed her shield from left to right, swung her blade into the “flesh” of demons, and protected everyone around her. And as soon as every group of demons was dispatched Cassandra would raise a hand to signal for Shissa - and the girl would come running from her hiding spot to rejoin the group.

It was a long, rough road, and the poor elf’s feet were aching by the time they reached the top. The Conclave’s location had been turned into nothing more than a smoldering ruins with half-destroyed walls amidst the dead bodies half-buried in the snow. As they came to what was once the doors of the grand hall Shissa’s hands instinctively went to her nose, and she covered it and her mouth as she gave a tiny gasp of displeasure.

“It...it smells so bad!” She whined, though perhaps not fully understanding why. The three adults exchanged glances with a look of discomfort on their face, but it was Varric that naturally took the lead. He dropped a hand on the girl’s back and gave her a compassionate pat, a smile on his face as he spoke.

“The Conclave had a big galley, after all. Lots of food.” He shrugged, coming up with an explanation as quickly as he could. “What you’re smelling is about one hundred very overcooked bowls of stew, I’d say.”

Both Cassandra and Solas gave a tiny sigh of relief - no one was particularly looking forward to explaining to the child what the smell of a corpse was. Best she keep moving forward without thinking about it, and keeping her eyes focused ahead and not on the bodies and ruins all around her. Cassandra moved to take the girl’s hand once more, knowing full well that she couldn’t stray far if her palm was locked in that iron grip. As they moved deeper into the ruins where the stench rose, little Shissa pressed her free hand harder around her face in order to help block it. Together, she walked with Cassandra until they came to the main courtyard - the place where the explosion happened, where the Breach hung directly overhead, and where Leliana was waiting with a regiment of troops.

The adults were talking, but Shissa barely listened. She didn’t understand most of it anyway. While they spoke all she could do was look up in horror at the whirling portal hanging high above her, crackling with magical energy, roaring with devious and vile intent. Her left hand ached at just the sight of it even all the way at the bottom of the mountain, but this? The only reason she didn’t cry out in agony was because Cassandra was holding that same hand, and somehow it gave her the strength to resist it. At least somewhat. She stood there frozen in place and staring ahead until voices started to become more clear, and Cassandra finally knelt down and nudged the girl’s shoulder.

“--sa. --issa! Shissa!” Cassandra’s voice finally became clear, and the girl focused her eyes upon the strong, scarred features of the older woman. “We’ve made a plan, child. We’re going to--why are you crying?”

Upon realizing that she had been, Shissa merely pulled her hood inward, using the sides of it to wipe away the hot, weary tears. Whether it had been the pain in her hand, the fear of the Breach, or the stench she couldn’t be sure. But she wasn’t about to let them rest on her cheeks when Cassandra was being so strong. She merely took a deep breath and shook her head, and urged Cassandra to continue.

“Well...at any rate.” The soldier was quick to move past it, certainly not wanting to embarrass the child at such a critical time. “We’re going to go down there. Solas believes that we can seal the Breach permanently, but...it will be dangerous. And we’ll have to do something very risky.”

“What…?” Shissa practically squeaked out, already wishing she had paid closer attention to the adults. “Do I have to go down there, too?”

“You do. But you’ll be protected.” Came the soft assurance, and another hand on her head. “You’re going to unlock the Breach with your hand. It will take a few moments, but Solas believes that once it becomes active again it will be vulnerable to being sealed...permanently. Do you understand? You’ll need to use your hand on the Breach...and then do it again a few minutes after.”

“But...But I don’t know how to do that!” It was the understandable, expected response from the child. At which point Solas spoke up, and for once his voice didn’t sound judgemental and picky so much as guiding.

“I will assist you.” He spoke simply, and gave the girl his best attempt at a comforting smile. He wasn’t...great at it. “I promise...I will be more gentle than I was last time.” Even with that assurance, it didn’t do much to quell Shissa’s concerns.

“Will there...will there be demons?” Another good question, and one that Solas sadly didn’t have as comforting a response for.

“There will.” He spoke simply, honestly, refusing to hide the truth. “Once you unlock the Breach, creatures of the Fade will be drawn to it. Demons will pour forth in great numbers.”

“But hey, that’s why Nightingale is here.” Varric took the lead on that one, gesturing to where Leliana stood, flanked behind her by at least a dozen archers and soldiers. The redhead even gave a nod to support Varric’s words, despite the fact she was still getting used to her own nickname. “She’ll keep the demons off of your back. Don’t let her pretty face fool you, Twig. She’s actually pretty mean. To demons, of course. And...sometimes to dwarves.”

It was enough to make Shissa smile, or at the very minimum, a whisper of one across her lips. Leliana was indeed pretty, but...she was also scowling at Varric after that comment. So she really was mean to demons, and sometimes dwarves! The young lady took a deep breath to calm her nerves before looking back to Cassandra, and when she spoke she did her best to gulp down as much fear as she could manage.

“Ma’am?” She asked, waiting until she had Cassandra’s gaze. “I’m...I’m ready. Don’t worry...you can count on me.” Her hand tightened within the Seeker’s, and she looked up to where Solas stood. “Chuckles and I will take care of it.”

Varric’s laugh equally matched Solas’ scoff of irritation, though it was Cassandra’s response that served as the thing that made the girl’s heart the bravest. An iron hand on her shoulder, a kind smile against scarred features, and a sweet promise that would rest in Shissa’s mind for some time.

“The Maker put you in my protection so you could save us all.” She spoke honestly, without a trace of doubt. “And I will not fail him...nor will I fail you.”

And with that, the group marched down the path to the point where Divine Justinia fell. The point where the Breach began. The point where all of reality in Thedas was beginning to rapidly, violently unwind.

***

For some, the next half hour was a brief march into a swift and sudden death at the hands of demons. For others, it was a long and horrible slog where they watched friends perish, witnessed the sort of things mortals were never meant to see, and fought valiantly against an evil that crossed all boundaries and prejudices. For the group that had been chosen by fate to protect Shissa, it was a half hour of intense responsibility, one that weighed not just the well being of a child - but potentially, all of Thedas itself.

And for Shissa, the next half hour was little more than unbridled terror. It was difficult for the young thing to cling to any semblance of courage as the rift was unlocked and the demons began to coalesce, for not even the thoughts of Cassandra slaying a dragon could push from her mind the horror that she now witnessed. What threat was a dragon, anyway? Its intimidation factor was minimal when claws and the stench of “burned stew” was all around, and when she witnessed firsthand bloodshed committed by those horrible creatures. Archers were pulled from their posts and ripped asunder, valiant knights fell under the claws of rage demons, and most horrifying of all was the towering sight of the lumbering pride demon that marched forth - a creature that wasn’t just out of nightmares, but may very well have been a direct servant of them.

Shissa’s hand ached with pain, but it was nothing compared to the fear that ran through her when that towering creature made the battlefield. With every step the ground shook and it loomed far overhead even the adults - making it all the more daunting for a slender, stick-thin elf girl. Her panic was intense, and yet she forced herself not to scream. If she screamed, Cassandra may think her wounded - providing a distraction that the demon would no doubt capitalize on. Despite her young age, Shissa knew that much. She knew that demons would take any advantage to hurt that which was good, decent, and pure in the world.

“Close the Breach, child!” Solas roared as he flexed his fingers out, sending a wave of force at a demon and knocking it a few steps back. The recent flickering of light within the glowing portal showed that the magical energy was ready to be connected with - an opening in the Fade that was screaming to be sealed once more. “I cannot assist you this time, there’s too many of them!”

“We have this under control, Solas!” Cassandra roared right back, and her tone was that of a furious woman instantly protective of her charge. She shoved her blade deep into the calf of the pride demon, and easily deflected its retaliation swing. Still, it sent her feet skidding a few steps back, showing just how great its power was. “Help her! She cannot do it without you!”

Solas sighed, and nodded in understanding. With disappointment in his face, he knew the truth...and turned to rush to the girl’s side once more. It was his arrogant demand that the child wield the power alone that ultimately allowed his defenses to fall, and when the pride demon’s next swung came he was nowhere near as lucky. The elf’s body was slammed hard to the distant wall, and though he still moved in the aftermath it was clear he was at the very least unconscious. Certainly in no manner to help Shissa with what needed to be done.

“...well that’s a slap on the fun bits with a handful of bees.” Varric murmured, looking to the elf’s unconscious body and what it represented. Still, as he knocked another bolt into his crossbow he sent his gaze towards Shissa, calling out to her. “Looks like it’s all on you, Twig! Chuckles can’t help you right now!”

“But...But Varric, I don’t know how!” Shissa called, still lurking near the back of the battle. She pointed up towards the horrible Breach, and her voice was piercing across the battlefield. “I can’t! I can’t stop that thing! Everyone...everyone’s going to die, and it’s all my fault!”

Her words had an impact. The moral of the army was already low, and hearing a terrified child shout about their impending death - and her own inability to stop it - would surely make it even worse. The pride demon was continuing to rampage as men and women fell under the assault, and the sound of the roaring Breach only managed to half drown out Shissa’s terrified cry. When Varric and Cassandra exchanged glances, the two communicated in that moment perhaps more than they ever did. Without a single word Cassandra spun on a heel, deflecting the pride demon’s blow and darting to the back as soon as another warrior grabbed its attention. Meanwhile, Varric made his way into the ranks, letting his own voice chirp up through the clamor of battle.

“Get to it, men! We’ve got it on its last legs!” Varric’s voice called out, despite the obvious. Sometimes...it just helped to hear it. “After we send this ugly bastard packing, drinks are on me! I even heard Ruffles say she’d lay a big ol’ kiss on the man that killed the most demons tonight! Or lady, of course! Ruffles is pretty enough for everyone to want to kiss!”

His banter was silly, dishonest, and certainly might not sit well with Josephine after...but it did its part. It got the troops’ mind off the hopelessness, and even inspired some of them to fight all the harder. One particular woman roared with fury, grasped a demon by what counted for its head, and outright snapped its neck with a quick twist.

“...damn, Monique!” Varric laughed, knocking another bolt. “Someone really wants that kiss! Do it for Ruffles!”

 

While Varric pumped up the group with his bawdy cheers, Cassandra dashed to the side of her charge. In the last foot before Shissa she dropped her sword to the ground, giving the child shade from the battle with her shield and moving her hand to rest against her shoulder. Tears rolled down the elf girl’s face, panic was spread across her features, and yet Cassandra offered her comfort. It was much to lay on a girl, and even in the violence of their battle, the Seeker couldn’t bring herself to yell at her. Even with all that was at stake.

“Shissa. You are stronger than you know, child.” One of those cold metal-clad hands pressed to the girl’s cheek, and she did her best to wipe away a tear with a steely touch. “You can do this. You can do so much you haven’t discovered.”

“But...but Cassandra, it’s so big, and it’s so loud, and…” She sniffled, and glanced up at the Breach as a quake of terror once more claimed her. She forced her gaze ahead once more, trembling in fear. “...and so many people are dying...dying because of me, and...and…”

“They die because evil holds sway in Thedas.” Cassandra spoke, and shook her head gently. “But we, Shissa? We are good. And we will keep that evil at bay no matter how much blood it sheds.” She smiled - at least as much as she could muster with the shrieks in the background. “You alone survived what happened here. You alone were the strongest at the entire Conclave. And you alone are strong enough to close the Breach. I have faith in you, child. And the Maker will guide us both.”

And with that, Cassandra asked no more questions - nor did she humor the girl’s concerns or fears any further. Instead, she merely unsheathed her shield and tossed it to the side, and drifted behind Shissa. That powerful, armored body closed against the girl’s back almost like a blanket, and she took the elf’s hand in her own, pointing it towards the Breach. Even doing so was enough to make light erupt from Shissa’s hand and a shriek pull from her throat, but she found herself pressing back against Cassandra and leaning into the woman’s support.

“That’s it, Shissa! You’re powerful! You can do this!” Cassandra called out, almost as if she was encouraging a young soldier. “The demons do not control our destiny! You will send them away, and keep us safe!”

“I...I...I will, Cassandra!” The girl’s voice erupted from her throat, and as she continued to hold her hand forward she did her best to remember the feelings that came from her when Solas helped. The pain that surged down her arm, the racing of her heart so fast that it felt it might burst. The headache. The stomach ache. The outright agony that no child should ever feel. Though this time, it wasn’t Solas cruelly holding her by the wrist...it was Cassandra leaning against her, holding her up, supporting her like a framework of power, strength, and trust.

And in the distance, her friends fought. Varric was bloodied but smirking, at that point standing back to back with the soldier Monique whom was drenched in blood and demon ichor, yet still beat away a rage demon with her gauntleted fists. Leliana paced the ramparts of the broken fortress firing arrow after arrow, and when a demon neared her companions she swiftly dispatched it with a pair of short blades at her hips. Even Solas, though still useless in the battle, had begun to stir.

There was plenty riding on the girl’s shoulders, and she would not allow it to drop. Though Shissa’s faith in the Maker was...well, hardly something a child would even have the notion to dwell on, she certainly believed in him in that moment. Or at least, she believed in Cassandra.

Pain. Screaming. Green light. Thunder. Her senses filled with chaos and disharmony as she continued to reach out, and her fingers tingled so bad it felt like they might go popping right off her hand. Still, Cassandra’s heavy arm around her waist, her head resting nearly atop Shissa’s own, and the hand holding hers up gave her the power to continue. The strength to stay standing. Even the courage to scream defiantly at the horrible Breach that tormented her.

“Demons...go...away!” Hardly the most volatile battle cry, but...it was hard to argue with the results. As she threw her heart into the moment the elf girl’s body was already started to give out on her, her vision blurring and heat rushing through her like her entire body was set afire. Energy cracked against every inch, even Cassandra screamed in a shared bit of pain, and suddenly amidst a sparking green portal with dancing lights of madness and fury a horrible cracking noise filled the air.

Like thunder, the rift roared...and the gaping hole into the Fade began to narrow.

Shissa only maintained consciousness for a few seconds - just enough to see through rapidly closing eyes that she had been successful. If nothing else, she had done her part. She had protected her new friends. She had shown that even though she was just a tiny, skinny little elf girl...she was stronger than the demons thought.

When darkness overtook her, Shissa was happy.

And when she slumped back into the arms of the Seeker, Cassandra was proud.

End of Chapter Two.


	3. Leliana's Lesson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shissa finds herself in a new home with a new purpose. But can she really face such a big, scary destiny alone?

The Unlikely Inquisitor  
Chapter Three: Leliana’s Lesson  
-by Drace Domino

All things considered, Shissa had slept soundly. She was quite likely the person in all of Thedas that had the least reason to do so, but the strain that using her mark on the Breach had caused had exhausted her tiny body far past the point of exhaustion. The Fade couldn’t reach her with her tiny body so weary and weak, and for the first time in her young life the darkness was a source of comfort. It was far, far more inviting than the hazy greens and golds of the place where nightmare spirits thrived.

And when she finally woke up many hours later, she was greeted first by a soft red. The clean and soft hair of the woman she had met before hung over her, framing lightly freckled features that were gazing at her with a kind curiosity. Shissa could feel a hand gently holding her chin and tilting her head from side to side, ensuring that at all times she was comfortable with her head nestled to a pillow.

“You’re finally awake.” Leliana’s voice chirped up in her rich Orlesian accent, and she brought a finger up to hover above Shissa’s head. She pulled it in a direction opposite of Shissa’s chin, and offered a gentle order as she did so. “Try to keep your eyes on my fingertip, okay?”

It lasted only a few seconds, but when Shissa had completed her early task Leliana released the grip on her chin and gave a pleasant smile. She flopped right back down to the mattress; sitting beside the young girl’s head and casting a tall, protective shadow over her. Of all the others Leliana had easily been the one she had spent the least time with, and yet Shissa could feel a similar level of safety in the bard’s presence that she did with Cassandra herself. That sensation was expressed with a tiny smile tugging at the elf girl’s lips as Leliana lowered a hand to gently brush away the messy strands of sleep-rumpled hair.

“Did...did I do it?” Shissa finally asked. No sooner did the words leave her lips did she feel a familiar ache, and she moved a hand down to grasp at her left wrist. “...my hand still hurts. But not as bad.”

“You did everything that could have been expected of you.” Leliana spoke simply and kindly, and allowed her delicate fingers to continue shifting back and forth through the girl’s hair. She even took the time to help her up - scooping an arm behind Shissa’s back and giving her someplace to lean against her chest. Every motion was delicate and gentle, and her focus was clearly on the elf girl’s comfort. As she looped an arm around Shissa’s belly and held her in a loose but supportive grip, the bard finally offered the bad news she had to impart. “I’m afraid...the Breach isn’t sealed. Not permanently, at least.”

When a look of clear disappointment crossed Shissa’s face, Leliana was quick to stifle it.

“You couldn’t have sealed it permanently yesterday. Nobody could.” She assured her quickly, before raising a finger to make a firm point. “But you saved many people’s lives. Cassandra, Varric, myself. And even Solas, though as you can imagine he’s still a bit grumpy about it.” The tiny joke was enough to make Shissa smile, and she gazed at the bard with a sleepy, but consoled look in her eyes.

“What do I do now, Leliana?” She asked in a genuinely lost voice; unclear of her role in the dark tale fate had thrown her into. “Can I go home now…?” She wasn’t entirely sure where home was, and was even a bit afraid at the prospect, but it seemed like the natural thing to ask. When Leliana shook her head she wasn’t really sure if she was relieved or disappointed - but the comforting embrace from the bard and the delicate fingers sweeping through her hair certainly helped sway it to relief. The beautiful redhead was a comforting presence to be sure, and as she spoke it didn’t take long for Shissa to ease her head to Leliana’s chest and listen to her enchanting accent.

“I’m afraid things are very complicated right now, Shissa.” She offered. “The Chantry are...upset. You remember the man from the trader outpost?” The fact that Shissa immediately scrunched up her nose and made a sour face was enough to suggest that she had, and Leliana could barely withhold a chuckle. “Well...he told powerful people about you. And things are...they’re…” For a bard that always knew just the right thing to say, words were failing her. How did she explain to a child the weight of everything rushing to her? If only Shissa would’ve woken up on Varric’s watch!

Thankfully, the elf girl was a smart one, even if she wasn’t particularly brave. She gave a tiny nod and spoke up in a soft, sad voice, hanging her head as she reasoned it out.

“They think I hurt all those people.” She murmured, quietly. “Just like you and Cassandra did.”

“Shissa, we didn’t thi-”

“It’s okay. I...I understand, Leliana.” The elf was quick to lift her head with a smile, showing a flicker of maturity in her young eyes. She had done a hell of a lot of growing up in the past day, and that was clearly a trend that would be continuing. “You were scared. You lost someone you cared about. But uh...you...you know I really didn’t, right?”

Smart, but still a child. And still well-deserving of a bit of reassurance. Leliana offered it by smoothing her thumb across the girl’s forehead to push her bangs aside, and then leaning down to give her a tender, motherly kiss upon her forehead. Though she barely knew the redhead, the elf couldn’t help but give a joyful sigh at the contact - it was a comforting thing to have someone so warm and affectionate nearby. The contact with another person that she so desperately needed in this rough time.

“You’re as innocent as my pet nug Schmooples II.” She beamed, and lifted a hand to tap the girl directly on the nose. As was the rough situation they were in; however, she couldn’t offer any bit of consolation without it being a precursor to something difficult. “But...you need to know not everyone feels that way. And there are some out there, even in Haven, that...well…” She bit down on her bottom lip, trying to think of how best to put it. “...Shissa. Are you from one of the alienages?”

“I can’t remember.” Came the quiet reply. The elf lifted her left hand and winced a bit as it twitched, the seeming source of all her problems. “I remember...faces? My parents. The golden lady that saved me from the spiders. But I...everything else is…”

“It will come back to you.” Leliana cooed, closed her hand around Shissa’s own, and eased it back down into her lap. She allowed her fingers to linger there for a moment, holding the girl’s palm as she continued with the bad news of her situation. “But you need to know that humans...sometimes they have complicated feelings about elves. There are a lot that don’t like them. And the mere idea that one of them could be responsible for Divine Justinia’s death...well…”

“...they want to hurt me.” Shissa whispered, and gazed in dejected fashion at where Leliana’s hand overlapped her own. Not even the bard’s affection could comfort her properly, even if the tiny space where she had kissed her forehead was still a source of a tremendous blush. “No matter what I say, they won’t believe I didn’t do this.”

“...it would be best if you had someone nearby to protect you at all times.” Leliana finally murmured quietly and honestly, refusing to sugar coat something of such profound importance. “Cassandra wanted to arm you, but...you’re a bit too young for a bastard sword, I think. So one of us, or Varric, or another friend will be with you at all times.”

“Even when I’m asleep?”

“Even when you’re asleep.” Leliana promised, and gently ruffled the girl’s hair. “We might not be able to protect you from your dreams, but anything else that comes to hurt you will meet a swift end. I promise.”

Even though her reality was harsh, Leliana was a talented one to bring comfort and consolation. One might even say it was a bard’s job - though usually, she carried with that comfort a healthy dose of betrayal and deceit. This time, she left the unsavory parts of her tasks behind and focused on the moments of affection and kindness. And it came far, far easier to her than normal for a very good reason. As she moved a hand up to ruffle the girl’s hair once more, the bard offered a bright, joyful smile and spoke in charming fashion.

“You know, you remind me very much of the Hero of Ferelden.” She offered, and lifted her brow coyly. “She’s an elf girl too. And just like you, she found herself swept up in something that she thought was much, much bigger than she could handle. Do you know the story?” When Shissa politely shook her head and settled in as if it was about to be told, Leliana simply gave a tiny laugh and offered the girl a supportive half-hug. “Oh, then the tales I can tell you when it’s my turn to tuck you in at night. But if you wouldn’t mind me spoiling the ending, she eventually does it all. She slays the vicious Archdemon, stops the Blight, saves all of Ferelden, and of course - finds true love.”

Shissa blinked, her cheeks darkening at the mere thought. It was hard for the little elf girl to imagine anyone just like her doing those grand things - slaying an archdemon, stopping a Blight...and did Leliana say true love?! Truly the things of fairy tales, and yet the elf couldn’t help but feel a little overwhelmed by the importance. She sat up a bit, lifting her head from the bard’s chest and gazing at her with a concerned look. A genuine concern at that - Shissa was far, far beyond the normal trivial concerns of children, unfortunately.

“Miss Cassandra said she killed a dragon.” She murmured. “And the Hero of Ferelden stopped the Blight. Everyone...everyone does so many big things, and I can’t even sleep without someone protecting me.” She let a sigh roll through her and glanced to her left hand, which still twitched from time to time and offered her a steady, aching throb. “...how can I be more like them, Leliana?”

“There’s no easy answer, Shissa.” The bard offered in response, and slowly began to slink away. She pulled from underneath Shissa and stepped up to the floor once more, just before stretching out a hand and offering it to the elf girl. But as she extended her hand in that kind gesture, she similarly offered a healthy dose of support and companionship. Two very important things that Shissa would need plenty of going forward. “We suffer, but if we stay safe for long enough...one day we wake up strong.” She offered a brief pause, before asking coyly. “...you already look stronger than yesterday. Don’t you want to see how much better you’ll get?”

Shissa gazed at the bard’s open palm, pondered her words briefly, and finally reached out to take her hand. When Leliana pulled her to her feet Shissa was smiling as proudly as she could considering the circumstances, and she made her way to the door of her tiny recovery room with Leliana holding her hand the entire time. Just like Cassandra, the bard was a source of inspiration.

With women like the two of them as role models, Shissa was abound to grow up just as big a hero as the woman that slew the Archdemon.

***

“So, Josephine…” The words were spoken from the lips of a woman with strong features; a face framed by dark brown hair cut relatively short. She had several tiny scars crossing her features including one that split one of her eyebrows, giving her a rough and weathered but still pleasing look. As she leaned against the command table she loomed all the closer to the frilly-dressed diplomat, arching a brow as she spoke. “When do I get my reward?”

From across the table Cassandra merely made a disapproving noise, but Josephine was a bit more polite about things.

“Monique, please understand that Varric did not exactly...run that idea of his by me, first.” She offered in her most pleasant tone, clutching her clipboard against her chest in an almost protective fashion. The gaze of the soldier was downright smoldering, and the sophisticated woman couldn’t seem to stop the blush that was rapidly darkening her cheeks. “As impressive as it is that you...beat a demon to death with your bare hands.”

“That’s underselling it.” Commander Cullen chirped up from the sideline, smirking as he cast a tall shadow across the command table. Clearly on the side of one of his toughest soldiers, he gestured towards Monique with a grin. “I’ve never seen anything like it. She bashed two rage demons’ heads together until they erupted into ash! She grabbed an anger demon by both sides of its mouth and ripped it clean in half!” He smirked even wider. “I’d say after such heroic actions, she’s clearly smitten with you.”

To emphasize the point to the rapidly blushing Josephine, Monique pulled one of her hands away - using a gentle touch that was hard to imagine turning to a demon-crushing might. As Josephine stammered and gasped the soldier pressed her lips deftly to the back of her smooth and uncalloused hand, offering the beautiful aristocrat a smooth whisper meant just for her.

“I’d rip the entire Fade out of Thedas for you, beautiful.” She cooed, in a tone that made it sound far, far more feasible than her claim actually was. Josephine trembled a little more as she struggled for a response, her eyes darting around the room as she did so.

“W-Well, you see, uh...that’s so flattering, and yet I...oh!” Her clipboard went clattering to the table as she used her free hand to point across the room to the door, where Leliana and Shissa had finally arrived. “Oh look, the Inquisitor! We should certainly be talking to her and not this...this subject!”

As she pointed the pair out the others all turned, and Monique even dropped the diplomat’s hand to look to the elf girl. Each of them offered a greeting all their own to Shissa, from Cassandra’s warm smile to the respectful nods of Cullen and Monique. As Josephine trotted forward to properly greet the child Leliana released Shissa’s hand, leaving it free for the Orlesian to take as she fell into a short, polite curtsey.

“Josephine Montilyet, Lady Shissa.” She beamed. “I am the ambassador and chief diplomat of the Inquisition, and I am most honored to meet you.”

“...I’m Shissa.” The elf girl responded in turn, her fingers twisting to grasp Josephine’s politely offered hand and turn it into a proper handshake. Soon her palm fell away as she looked from Josephine to the others; in particular letting her eyes track to Cassandra. “Miss Cassandra? I’m sorry I didn’t seal the Breach for good. I...I tried.”

“You saved the lives of everyone there.” Cassandra responded in firm but caring fashion, and even gestured for Shissa to stand beside her. “You have well earned your place at this table, Inquisitor.”

That was new. The word fell to Shissa with a certain weight and responsibility about it - she could tell quite quickly that it was a title she would come to be proud of and despise in equal measure. It wasn’t until Cullen stepped aside and gestured for Shissa to stand between he and Cassandra that she took in the map of Thedas before them; marked with pins and flags to denote the movements of their order.

“Much has happened, Shissa. And there is much to tell you.” Cassandra explained, and once the elf girl stood beside her she let an armored hand lower to gently rest on her back. “To explain it all to you now would simply take too long, but we’ll spend some time together after and I’ll go over everything.”

“Okay.” The elf nodded with a smile, and shuffled just a little closer to the Seeker that had protected her, that had helped her use her power to temporarily seal the Breach. “Thank you, Cassandra.”

The others stepped forward to surround the table; save for Monique who made a swift retreat now that the meeting was properly beginning. And even though such things were far beyond Shissa right now, it certainly did seem strange that Josephine kept staring at the door after Monique left, looking flustered and confused.

The next hour was spent in long conversation, and many, many times they referred to Shissa as simply the Inquisitor. She was a smart enough girl to know that whatever came next, whatever steps her life would take in the near future...that these were the people that would decide the path she’d walk. It was a tremendous responsibility for them to carry, and yet she trusted them with it. She didn’t even know Cullen and Josephine, and yet by the end of the meeting she had well-memorized their faces and voices and added them to the group that she could trust.

Leliana, Varric, Cullen, Josephine...and Cassandra. Maybe even Solas, but not really. He still gave her the creeps.

Shissa stood at the table with the others, and though she didn’t understand everything they were talking about, she did understand one very important thing: this was her family now. And for her family, she’d suffer. She’d stay safe. She’d wake up stronger.

End of Chapter 3.


	4. Breaking Ache

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Little Shissa is doing the best she can...but she's just desperately in over her head. Can she possibly contribute to the Inquisition? Sometimes, the smallest among us suffer the most...

The Unlikely Inquisitor  
Chapter Four: Breaking Ache  
-by Drace Domino

Even after everything that Shissa had already witnessed, this was quite possibly the scariest moment of her young life. The Pride Demon had indeed been a terrifying experience to live through, yet at no point had it turned its gaze upon her. At no point had she been alone. At no point had she stood without anyone to protect her, without anyone to support her. Not like...not like now.

“Hmph. That cares care of that.” The Templar captain scowled, looking at the wounded body of a female dwarf laying in the bloodied grass. She was breathing - barely - and her tiny body was trembling, twitching from the spasms of the wounds she had endured. She didn’t stand a chance against the Templars as soon as they set their gaze upon them, though she had tried valiantly to hold them off. Now that she was down and bleeding out, the Templars lifted their helmets and gazed to the little elf with her back against the side of the hill, her eyes wide with fear. The captain spoke up once more as he pointed his sword forward, voice rough and heartless as he gave his stern command. “Now the child.”

“C...Captain?” One of the helmet-clad Templars looked to the leader, a note of hesitation within his voice. “Truly? She...she’s only a child, Captain.”

“There’s no Dalish Tribes around here, and no one with common sense would send an elf servant out into the Hinterlands with things like they are.” The captain responded, stepping forward with heavy, angry footfalls. The bloodmarked grass bent underneath every armored step, and he even walked over the dead body of one of his own men - one that had fallen to the dwarf’s keen eye before she was taken down. “That means she must be one of the mages, another little one they’re going to train to fight us. Too bad for the dwarf - poor bitch was probably some cartel thug that took the wrong bodyguard job.”

“N...No...it’s not like that, I’m…” Shissa pushed herself back against the stony side of the hill even harder, to the point that the rocky face pinched her body and scraped her flesh. Her eyes were wide and fearful as she gazed at the Templars, looking down the line at all three of them. Each one murderers - each one doing everything they could to quell any threat, no matter whether or not their actions were rational. The Templars were moving through the Hinterlands like a pestilence; killing everyone they crossed without a second thought. Shissa felt fear rise up within her all the deeper, and she even found herself despairing for a moment. Why...why did Cassandra bring her here?! And more importantly...why did she leave her?!

Shissa, eyes wide and tiny heart racing, had precious few seconds to dwell on what had happened that horrible day...to ponder the mistakes that had been made as the Templar moved closer and closer, bringing the promise of a swift death along with him.

 

***

“...I did not want to bring her with us.” Cassandra’s voice was resolute and stern as she addressed the others, her eyes narrow as she stood protectively at Shissa’s side. The Seeker had been the most vocal about her desire to leave Shissa behind - not because she didn’t want the girl near, but because the Hinterlands were filled with danger. As she stood at the main camp with Varric and Solas, it was clear her opinion on the matter hadn’t changed. “If any harm befalls her, Solas…”

“You speak as if I wished to bring her along.” Solas responded swiftly, folding his arms across his chest and openly huffing at the notion. “There are going to be breaches in the Fade, Seeker. Breaches that only she will be able to seal. Even if the largest one is dormant for the time being, demons are still flowing from the smaller tears. They’re only making a bad situation even worse.”

“You can say that again, Chuckles.” Varric spoke up, snorting a bit as he gazed into the distance. There were almost constant billows of smoke lifting into the air within the Hinterlands, a sure sign of the chaos that had permeated nearly every square foot of its area. The place was massive, and filled with a deep strife that made it a very dangerous spot for anyone - let alone a child. Even Varric, normally calm and collected, seemed like he was on edge. “Mages and Templars...as if I didn’t have enough of them in the past ten years. What are the odds they’ll wipe each other out and let the rest of us get a good night’s sleep?” He received equally strong glares from Cassandra and Solas, but likely for different reasons. What broke up the awkwardness; however, was the sound of a soft and feminine laugh from the sidelines as a small figure emerged.

She was barely taller than Shissa herself; a pretty female dwarf with freckles, red hair, and a bow strapped to her back. As she stepped forward she looked first to Varric and then to the others, even sparing a glance towards Shissa herself.

“Even if they did, we won’t be sleeping here anytime soon, Sir.” Cassandra visibly flinched as the dwarf called Varric sir, but the new girl didn’t seem to realize it. “Things in the Hinterlands were bad enough with just the Mages and Templars, but now with the demons the wildlife has started to go berserk. Some of them have been corrupted. The rest are just scared. It’s never been a more dangerous time to travel to Redcliffe.”

“We’re not going to Redcliffe, Scout.” Cassandra spoke up firmly, though let the words rest on her tongue for a moment. “At least...not yet. We’re looking to secure horses for the Inquisition. Have you pathed out a route to the west?”

“I did.” The girl nodded simply, and slipped a hand into one of her pockets, pulling free a weathered map. As she handed it over to the Seeker her voice continued, sounding calm despite the noise of battle in the far distance. “As safe as one as I could find, Seeker Cassandra. That said...try not to stray from it. I’ve even marked a few hiding places along the way, if you need them.”

“Good work.” Cassandra murmured, gazing down at the map. “What’s your name, Scout?”

“Scout Harding, ma’am.” The dwarf girl responded, and flashed the group a friendly, cute smile. From her place lurking half-behind Cassandra, Shissa couldn’t help but feel a little more comforted by her presence. Just like Varric, Scout Harding seemed warm and inviting, or at the very least friendly. It was...unlikely that all dwarves were so nice, but in her limited experience they seemed like the trustworthy sort. And it was nice to have have to strain her head to look up at everyone! Scout Harding folded her hands behind her back as she levelled her gaze at the group, her voice slipping into a more professional tone as she spoke. “Though before you head out, ma’am, I’d like to ask a favor. The fighting along the road has gotten pretty intense, mages and Templars have been in an active brawl for hours. It’s...a little close to our camp for comfort, but if we try to move we’ll be making too much noise.”

“You’d like for us to take some of the heat off.” Varric spoke up with a chuckle, and looked towards Cassandra. “You know we’ll be attacked on sight by either of those groups, right? No one here is interested in asking questions or making friends.”

“Neither am I.” Cassandra responded in typical fashion, and she allowed a hand to lower. Her armored palm pressed against Shissa’s back as she held the elf girl protectively close, just before turning and slowly lowering herself down to her knees. With Solas, Varric, and Harding giving them a bit of space, the older woman turned to her young friend with a sympathetic look on her face. “Shissa, we need to head down to the road and help them. It’s best for the Inquisition.”

“A-All right, Cassandra.” Shissa was quick to nod, her little bob of messy dark hair bouncing as she did so. “I promise, I’ll find a hiding spot and won’t get in the way.”

“That’s...very brave of you.” Cassandra offered the girl a tiny smile; a genuine one. “But you see...how can I put this…”

“Mages have a tendency to cause a great deal of damage over a wide area.” Solas was the only to chime in, interrupting the exchange in a thoughtful tone, and one that surprisingly wasn’t devoid of empathy. “If you’re hiding in the bushes...that would be problematic if the bushes caught fire.”

Increasingly, Shissa was getting a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. A sinking feeling that only intensified as Cassandra finished her thought.

“Shissa, you’ll need to remain at camp for a few moments. It shouldn’t take us more than an hour to secure our safe passage.” She moved her armored hands to the girl’s shoulders, but could already tell that she was trembling. The elf’s eyes were going rather wide and she was looking around like a scared rabbit; as if suddenly the Hinterlands had just become a lot more dangerous than they already were. “I swear, we won’t be long. I just need you to wait here, and--”

“But, but...but I don’t want to leave you!” Shissa blurted out, and shuffled even closer in response. Her eyes darted from Cassandra to Varric and even to Solas - even if he was mean, he still knew what he was doing. She at least trusted him to help keep her safe. “What if the Mages come to the camp? What if more demons show up? What if...what if a bear--”

“Scout Harding and the other Inquisition soldiers will protect you.” Cassandra offered simply, and gestured to the nearby female dwarf. Harding even offered the girl a thumbs up and a smile, hoping to help seal the deal.

“I’m a pretty good shot with my bow.” She chirped up, and patted the thing strapped to her back. “In fact, you’re not much smaller than me...maybe I can teach you how to use it while they’re gone. It’ll keep your mind off things.”

“Oh, every army can use another archer.” Varric beamed, and offered Shissa a kind smile. If anyone knew how to sugarcoat a situation, it was him. “What do you say, Twig? Hang back for a bit and start learning how to shoot arrows? I hear elves are supposed to be pretty good at it, as long as they’re not all thumbs like Chuckles here.”

Solas merely scowled in displeasure, but didn’t bother to argue the point if it meant helping Shissa cope. Indeed it did; and as the others pressed their concerns the elf girl finally gave a little nod. She clearly wasn’t happy about it, but she hadn’t cried - yet - and that was certainly a start. Leliana’s advice was still fresh in the elf girl’s mind; words that made sense even if they weren't particularly comforting. How did someone survive hard times? They suffered. They stayed safe. They woke up stronger. Being scared and worried about her friends certainly sounded like suffering, but Harding was offering to keep her safe. All that was left was for her to be strong, to be brave, and to do what she could for the others.

“I’ll try.” Shissa nodded as she stood a little taller, trying to push out her chest and look bigger than she was. Still, she couldn’t pull off anything more than the stick-thin young girl she was. She smiled a little wider though, doing her best to convince Cassandra of that bravery. “I’ll...I’ll stay back and train. But please don’t take too long, okay?!” There might have been a bit more panic in her voice at the last part than she would have liked, but the message was still clear. Cassandra smiled, ruffled the girl’s hair with an armored glove, and slowly rose to her feet so she could slide her shield off of her back.

“We’ll head down and relieve the pressure from the camp.” The Seeker gazed at Scout Harding, and gestured then to the elf. “She’s in your care, Scout Harding. I trust you will treat her as the treasure she is.”

“Nothing will hurt her with me here.” Scout Harding smiled in return, and unslung her bow from her back. Already she was moving to stand at Shissa’s side, a bright look on her face that masked the conflict within the Hinterlands. “By the time you’re back, she’ll be able to plink a Darkspawn between the eyes! Or at least...not snap herself with the bowstring when she’s trying to fire.”

And with that the others left; marching down the hill while Shissa and Scout Harding remained behind. Shissa was still naturally afraid, but she felt a bit better when she looked to the dwarf. She could already tell this woman was a good soul - the sort that would stick to her word. For the moment, Shissa was in good hands. And surely, if the Mages and Templars were fighting all the way down at the bottom of the hill, nothing would bother them all the way at camp.

...right?

***

Scout Harding turned out to be just as kind as expected, and served as a good way to keep Shissa distracted while the elf girl held a bow for the first time. It was a little big for her and the string was a little difficult for the girl to pull back, but Harding was a patient sort and quite frankly, happy to be doing something other than stalking Mages and Templars through the Hinterlands. She knelt down beside Shissa, pressed the bow into her tiny hands, and even helped to show her the perfect position by leaning into her and grabbing the girl’s wrists, guiding her with every motion.

“See, we just relax. We take it slow. You want to pull back as you breathe in - and then release as you exhale.” For the moment they were aiming at a nearby tree just ten or so feet away; an easy shot for a fledgling archer. As she practiced the motions of knocking and releasing an arrow with Shissa Scout Harding finally grew curious, and she tilted her head as she spoke in a thoughtful tone. “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever met an elf that hasn’t used a bow before. Even the ones that lived in alienages snuck away to practice with them.”

“Oh, uh...I…” Shissa blinked, and bit down on her bottom lip. “I...don’t remember much. A lot’s happened, and I...I…”

“Hey, say no more.” Scout Harding waved a hand swiftly, and even moved a finger up to tap the girl squarely on the tip of her nose. “I’ve heard about what happened, and I bet it’s a pretty scary thing for you. So I’ll make you a deal-” She pointed towards the nearby tree, and offered a big, friendly smile. “-you take a shot, you don’t even need to hit it, but if you take the shot I promise I’ll just treat you like a normal kid. No big questions, no fussing over you, none of that. Sound good?”

Shissa enthusiastically nodded, a wide smile spreading over her face. For all the fawning over her the others had done, for all the talk about what her curse meant for Thedas, all she had really wanted was some level of normalcy. The idea of anyone, even a relative stranger, treating her like a normal kid was something she could very much get behind. With a deep breath Shissa lined up her shot and followed through with the motions that Scout Harding taught her, pulling back the arrow and letting it fly with surprising ease. Very surprising, in fact. There was a certain natural flow to her motions, a second nature that seemed to fall into place. The arrow whizzed through the air and embedded itself into the tree in a perfect shot, and Scout Harding whistled as she saw it take place.

“Whew, that was great!” The dwarf smiled, pressing up to her feet and moving to the arrow. She looked back over her shoulder as she walked, both to see the girl’s smiling face and to do a distant check on the billows of smoke that were still far away from the camp. “Maybe you really did this before? Maybe you were the best shot in Thedas!” With that, she yanked the arrow free from the tree and waggled it back and forth, beaming. “You know, there’s always good money in trick archery. After all this you could go to Orlais and shoot arrows off people’s heads.” She cupped a hand around her mouth, and murmured slyly. “...maybe don’t aim that good, huh? Some of those nobles could use a good scare!”

Shissa couldn’t help but giggle in return, reminded more and more of Varric the more time she spent with Scout Harding. She was kind and gentle, and in the next long hour Shissa took several more shots with the bow and arrow underneath her watchful gaze. Every time she let another one fly her enjoyment of the activity was enhanced; only marred slightly by the fact that her left hand ached with every last shot. An ache she always made sure to keep to herself, just in case Scout Harding would’ve been tempted to go back on her promise of treating her like just another kid.

An hour shooting arrows - something she was surprisingly good at - with a cute, kind lady? It was among the most fun Shissa had since...well...since she could even remember. Shissa even drove arrows through a few pieces of fruit hanging from the leaves of one of the nearby trees, and each time that shaft sunk into the meat with a satisfying thud the little elf felt somehow at peace. Somehow calm. Or at the very least, content that there was something she could do.

She had barely even realized that the group didn’t come back in time until it was late enough to be worried. And she didn’t even realize it was late enough to be worried until the Templars emerged from the bushes, three heavily armored men with swords and shields drawn.

And from that moment, Shissa’s concerns went far, far deeper than merely worry about Cassandra, Varric, and Solas.

***

As soon as the Templars emerged, Scout Harding’s expression went from playful joy to one of serious and firm aggression. She drew a dagger from her belt and a short sword from her scabbard as soon as she saw them, balancing the weapons in her palms and casting a fierce glare in their direction. As Shissa naturally moved to retreat behind the girl, Scout Harding took an extra step forward in an attempt to further protect her.

“Just here doing some hunting, Templars.” Scout Harding spoke up, keeping her voice patient and calm, as if she was talking to a group of hungry wolves. Shissa had the distinct impression that she wasn’t far off - even armored head to toe, she could tell these men were as bloodthirsty as any beasts. “Haven’t seen any mages anywhere. Little too far south of Redcliffe anyway, I’d think.”

“Not every day you see an elf and a dwarf together, lest of all an elf child.” The captain of the Templars spoke up, his voice muffled slightly by the helmet but still dripping of cruelty and foul intent. His sword and shield remained drawn, even though his posture for the moment was stable. “What’s the cartel up to now? Smuggling little mage pups for gold? Sounds like bad business to me.”

“I told you, haven’t seen any mages.” Scout Harding responded firmly, unflinching in her tone. She gestured towards Shissa, and tightened her grasp around her weapons. “The girl’s an alienage runaway. I took her in because she’s good with plants. Can tell me which ones you surface types eat. Useful for someone who only ever saw mushrooms before.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about the diet anymore.” The captain of the Templars continued, stepping forward with a heavy metal boot and making it very clear what their intent would be. “In fact, I wouldn’t worry about anything anymore…’cept maybe praying to see if the Maker will take your rock worshipping ass!”

“Kid, go! Run!” Scout Harding suddenly barked out, and lunged forward in an attempt to get a split second drop on the captain. Instantly Shissa’s heart began to race as she saw the two clash together; the much smaller Scout Harding launching herself towards the center of a three Templar flank. The elf girl desperately wanted to run in that moment, to honor her new friend’s request, and somehow...she froze. Every inch of her was still and motionless, her eyes were stuck open wide and her throat so tight she couldn’t hope to breathe. She watched in utter horror as the Templars advanced on the valiant dwarf, the captain and his two soldiers moving upon an enemy that was outnumbered, outarmored, and outmatched.

Shissa couldn’t even cry out for help as she watched them tear into Scout Harding; lunging forward with their blades and cutting down her valiant effort. It was a moment of heroism with no true reward; the poor dwarf was so outmatched that she barely even scratched their blades with her own as she tried to deflect their blows. Three slashes was all it took as the dwarf slumped down to the ground, helpless, bleeding out, and at death’s door.

And now, the trio turned their gaze upon little Shissa. Though the actions of their captain had been questioned, neither of the other two Templars would refuse his direct order. If he wanted the elf child dead...she would die. For the security of Thedas, for the safety of everyone. It was; after all, the Templar code.

 

Shissa snapped back into the moment, every second leading up to that instant crashing into her senses. Her heart was racing, her breath desperate, and she wanted beyond anything else to cry - yet she refused herself the right. Instead, when the Templar captain marched forward with his blade drawn, Shissa knew immediately that she had few options. She could stand and sniffle and be struck down, or she could be like Cassandra. Like Leliana. Like Scout Harding.

“The Maker takes no joy in the death of mages, child.” The captain Templar spoke, and for the first time Shissa could see through the visor of his helmet just how much pure cruelty rested in his eyes. Burning red - unnatural red. “But I certainly do!”

The next few seconds were like a blur. The sword came lunging towards Shissa just as the elf girl rolled down to the ground; going as small and as tiny as she could manage. She scrambled like a fox between the captain’s legs, rolled once more to avoid the other guards dashing for her, and darted to where she had dropped Scout Harding’s bow. In a display that would’ve no doubt earned her the adoration of even Leliana, little Shissa clutched the bow to her chest as she tumbled backwards, knocked an arrow as she reclaimed her balance, and let a single shot fly as soon as she was in a crouching position.

Thud. Just like the pieces of fruit hanging from the tree. A single arrow stuck straight through the helmet of the Templar captain, perfectly and precisely fired through the visor at the front of it. A silence overtook the camp as the two Templars looked to their captain, who merely dropped first to his knees and then fell all the way forward, a deceased heap of a former madman.

And Shissa, looking much like a deer that had been spotted by a cougar, realized that she was still facing two heavily armored, angry, violent men. And she was facing them all alone.

For a split second the girl knew one simple truth: she was going to die, and just like Scout Harding they were going to leave her to bleed out in the most painful way possible. But as the Templars charged forward and Shissa frantically looked around for another arrow and another miracle from the Maker, a sudden gout of fire erupted within the campfire and completely engulfed one of the charging lunatics.

Never had she been so thankful to see Solas. The older elf had come into the clear with his staff drawn and his free hand wreathed in flame; a flame that seemed to be controlling the ones that licked across the other Templar’s armor. As he cooked the man within his own suit of armor Solas roared with rage; showing far, far more hatred and emotion than he did with the demons.

“You’re looking for mages, aren’t you?! I’d say you’ve found one!”

Cassandra and Varric weren’t far behind. The Seeker led the charge on the last remaining Templar, bringing her blood stained sword and shield forward to engage in combat with yet another madman that day. He wouldn’t be the first Templar she’d kill that day - something she once never thought would be her duty. As she made short work of him Varric rushed first to the girl Shissa, dropping to his knees and resting a hand on her shoulder.

“Twig! Are you hurt? Those bastards hurt you?!”

Shissa, realizing that she was once more safe, allowed the tears to form just as she pointed towards the prone and bleeding Scout Harding. Varric was quick to put the pieces together, and squeezed the girl’s shoulders before darting over to tend to her. It wasn’t long before his voice was calling out and over the camp once more, shouting out for assistance as he pulled bandages from his bag.

“Chuckles, he’s dead already!” Varric snapped, gesturing for Solas. “But Harding isn’t! So get over here and help me make sure she stays that way!”

Shissa, numb to almost the entire world in that moment, stayed on her knees as she watched it all - even though she didn’t really perceive it. The colors had gone gray, the sound had become muted, and all she could truly feel seep into her was shock, sorrow, and anger. Scout Harding laid only barely alive. A man laid dead nearby by her own hands - and she had executed him with astonishing proficiency. Terrifying proficiency.

It was a lot for a young girl to handle even if she was like any normal girl - but she wasn’t. And as she knelt there already feeling dead to the world, not even Cassandra’s nearby presence helped to soothe her. She was...far too covered in blood to be a woman of comfort in that moment.

“We need to return to Haven immediately. As soon as we can move her.” Cassandra announced, sheathing her sword and cursing under her breath. “This...this area is far too overrun. We need more allies if we’re going to push forward and stop this madness. Shissa, are you unhurt? Shissa…? Do you hear me?”

Shissa, trembling on her knees, didn’t answer. Instead, she merely looked down at her left hand, which had been throbbing, aching, screaming at her the entire time. Her eyes wide, her heart racing, and her muscles spasming in agony.

Something had to give. Something had to break. Leliana said suffering, safety, and strength. ...but what could a tiny elf girl do when the suffering was so intense that she didn’t think she could survive it?

End of Chapter 4.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! My apologies for not updating more recently. I have a lot of this story already written, but sometimes my posting schedule gets a little hectic and I fumble. 
> 
> As my general reminder: This is an entirely SFW story, outside of maybe a few bad words now and again. I am primarily an NSFW creator, so if you do like this story please keep that in mind if you think about checking out my other stories - there's a lot that might not really mesh with what you're looking for. That said, I thank you for reading this one!


	5. Voices and Visitors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shissa's still recovering from her experience in the Hinterlands, and suffering from nightmares and regret. 
> 
> Thankfully, there's a new friend out there that'll help send those fears right out on their tits.

The Unlikely Inquisitor  
Chapter Five: Voices and Visitors  
\- by Drace Domino

Solas would have told her that dreams were nothing to be afraid of; that the world of the Fade was little different from her own, filled with dangers and allies and spirits that simply needed to be understood. Varric would have told her that it sounds horrifying, and he was glad that it was something he’d never have to deal with. But as Shissa wrestled back and forth within her covers, sweat clinging to her tiny frame and her heart racing in tremendous fear, what she truly struggled for was what Cassandra would have told her.

She was running - running from something, through a haze of sickly yellow that seemed to stick to the skin and fill her lungs with every ragged, harsh breath. Any time she looked over her shoulder to steal a glance at the furious monster advancing on her it seemed to gain ground, and each time she felt a horrible pain shoot through her hand that bared the mark. Ahead of her there was nothing more than the Fade - dense and foggy with little more than distant shapes that told only but a whisper of what they truly were up close. And as she ran, she could hear whispers...whispers of both friend and foe alike, sometimes right against the edge of her tender elf ears and sometimes as if they were the hushed voice of a god, somehow resonating across the land.

“You...will...die…” A horribly, ghostly voice from above, loud and terrifying as thunder but with the tone of a gasping breath.

“Shissa...it’s all right! I will protect you!” Cassandra’s voice, reassuring even in the most horrible of panics.

“She...will...suffer...they...all...suffer…” Another hideous tone, this time from right behind her, along with the feel of wicked claws trailing down the back of her hair. Shissa’s eyes closed as tight as she could manage as she pushed herself harder ahead; pumping her tiny, thin little legs and swinging her arms wildly back and forth.

“Almost there, Twig! We’re waiting for ya!” Varric’s voice promising some reward if she could survive, if she could cross the undisclosed distance. “Everyone’s here!”

“You’re leading us to them, little mouse.” This time it was a woman’s voice; sinister and foul and unsavory in a way that Shissa could not yet process. She could feel fingers try to entwine within her hand, though when she looked down there was none to be seen. “Show us to your friends, little girl! We’d love to meet them!”

“N-No...no…” Shissa hissed, finally forcing her own voice into the air. The last wicked tone that spoke to her had pushed things too far, and the girl skidded to a halt as best she could. She had been running far too fast to bring herself to any smooth landing; however, and soon tripped over her own two feet and dashed to the ground. She cried out in pain as she fell, bouncing again and again to an ether that felt as solid as real dirt, with the added horror of tendrils that tried to close about her like the legs of a wicked spider. As she tumbled and cried the voices all roared with laughter, with the wicked woman’s being the first to speak up.

“Aww, so sweet! She’d let us feast to protect them!” It was true - if her only alternative was to let the demons have her friends, she would let them eat. No matter her fear, no matter her panic. She was only one tiny little elf, after all...and they all seemed so much more important than her in the big world Thedas was.

“She’ll regret that decision. She’s going to be screaming for centuries.” The second voice joined the agony, and Shissa could nearly feel hands wrap around her ankles. Something was pulling at her, and in her panic she clawed at the ground, hoping to find some semblance of control within the ether of the Fade. Sadly, her fingers passed right through the haze, and she started to slide back.

“And we will have her friends anyway...they can all still suffer together…” The booming whisper of an angry god sounded above her, promising horrors that Shissa could only barely come to terms with. As soon as it spoke she could hear her friends screaming - Cassandra and Varric and Leliana, all shrieking as if they were being torn apart by unseen forces. Shissa’s little heart was beating in a horrible panic, and as she looked up to the sky she could see faces; the faces of the demons encroaching upon her. A beautiful woman with wide horns sticking from the sides of her purple head, a cruelty laying on her features that was even greater than her allure. A horrible beast of fire and brimstone; faceless and burning with a constant anger. And looming high above, nothing short of a pair of demonic, heartless eyes. Distinctively human, feminine, and without any trace of mercy. The eyes floated above high in the sky with no face to frame them; only a large, blood-red slash travelling down the center of them at an angle, making her gaze all the more intense and heartless.

They were reaching for her, ready to claim her, ready to devour her, until…

Even Shissa had to shield her eyes as shafts of light arced through the air; a brilliant radiance that cut through the ether of the Fade in three separate lines. Each one struck a demon; landing between the horns of the pretty lady, the faceless mask of rage of the fiery nightmare, or squarely between the eyes of the face in the sky. The two lesser demons almost instantly shrieked and vanished, while the glowering eyes hanging high above merely started to fade from sight as those eyes closed. Before they vanished entirely and the red slash crossing them blinked from existence, they cast one last harsh glare towards Shissa...a glare that let her know that it wasn’t over.

When Shissa turned to see just what had saved her, she could feel a familiar presence. When this had all begun, spiders had chased her down a seemingly endless mountain, clawing at her ankles and biting at her flesh. That day, a kind woman made entirely of light had saved her - and now, she felt that same warmth basking over her once more. The benevolent presence looked a bit different this time; smaller and shorter and carrying a bow made of pure light, and as she spoke the voice that pierced the Fade was nothing like the matronly, mature voice it had a few days ago.

“They’re all tits for fightin’, yea?” It was a voice heavily accented; one that even Shissa could recognize as the tone of a city elf. “‘Gonna eat your soul an’ piss in your ear, blah blah blah, now I’m catchin’ shafts like the prettiest cousin in a Fereldin farmhouse.’”

It was perhaps the strangest way Shissa had ever woken up, but by the time she pressed her hand up into the golden glowing spirit’s, she knew that was exactly what was about to happen. For now, the nightmare was over.

***  
“Well hello there. Someone’s finally awake.” When Shissa woke up, it was...comforting, to say the least. Despite the horrors she had just faced, she woke up without a fuss or a scream, and found herself in a position that kept her warm and safe from any possible outside threat. It was a large bed in the main building in Haven; a few doors down from the meeting room and Josephine’s office. Sitting squarely in the center of it wearing casual clothes was none other than Seeker Cassandra, and she had one powerful arm wrapped around the elf girl’s waist. It was a protective embrace; motherly in a way that Cassandra had never saw herself capable of before, and the kind smile resting on her face was offered freely to the tiny girl still blinking the sleep from her eyes. “I was starting to worry.”

“...C...Ca--ma’am?” Shissa blinked, her eyes slowly opening to take in the sights of the room. The Seeker’s armor was resting against the far wall, discarded for the moment but ready to be adorned at a moment’s notice. The door leading out into the main hall had been closed, but sitting just beside it was a table with a tray of breakfast foods waiting. She was...safe. The dream and the horrible experience in the Hinterlands was behind her for now, though her mind immediately raced to the latter. Her eyes opened even wider, and she looked up at Cassandra with an increasingly panicked look on her face. “Ma’am! Scout Harding, is sh--”

“She’s going to be fine, thanks to you.” Cassandra smiled, and gave the young woman a tiny squeeze before releasing her. Shissa was admittedly a bit hesitant to leave the warm embrace of the Seeker, yet she finally did so and crawled towards the far edge of the bed. When she gazed at the tray of food Cassandra gave her a nod, and she quickly scurried to take it. A few seconds later the elf girl was sitting on the opposite edge messily eating a heaping pile of warm oats with bits of bacon and fruit, all as Cassandra gave the girl an approving, proud smile. “You’re quite the shot, Shissa. I...don’t suppose you remember how you learned it?”

Shissa, with her cheeks puffed out from an overwhelming helping of oats, shook her head from side to side. Cassandra merely laughed, and offered her kind smile once more set against her slightly scarred features.

“It’s all right, child. And you’re safe now. We’re still…” She took a deep breath, and offered the girl an honest, if slightly somber smile. “We’re still figuring out where to go from here. What happened in the Hinterlands almost doomed us all, and...and I…” She paused briefly and took a deep breath, and even Shissa could see that she was swallowing a lot of emotion in that moment. Seeker Cassandra was not a woman that let weakness show on her very often, but her face in that instant was nothing but pain. Raw, exposed pain that she had no idea how to cope with. It was a pain that was fresh to her, and as such it was apparent in her voice. “...I should have been there, child. You could have...you could have been…”

As Shissa sat at the edge of the bed with a mouth stuffed full of breakfast, the young stick of a girl was left learning more about the world than she had in her entire life. The past few days had been like that. She had learned about the horrors that lurk in dreams, she had learned about the bravery of men fighting for their lives, and as she looked at Cassandra in that moment, she learned about how even the strongest could be weak. They could be bent, broken, even shattered. Cassandra’s face in that moment was nothing short of heartbreaking to Shissa, and though the little elf said little the tears that formed in the corners of her eyes spoke volumes.

“...can you ever forgive me…” Cassandra finally lowered her head as she whispered, yet her words weren’t necessarily guided to Shissa. They could have been to the elf, to her allies, maybe even to the Maker. She was a woman of profound strength and loyalty and prowess, and yet...she had almost let a gifted child die under her guidance. It was clear Cassandra was struggling to be as strong and sentinel as ever, especially now that Shissa was awake and sitting before her, but there were tears on those scarred features and a wounded look that seemed desperately out of place on her.

Shissa merely swallowed her mouthful of breakfast, and nudged the tray to the side of the bed. This was a moment for the young woman; a moment in which she was needed. Just as she was needed to close the rifts in the Fade, just as she was needed to dispatch Templars to protect Scout Harding. She was needed now...and somehow, this moment hurt her tiny young heart the most. Shissa scrambled across the bed as only a child could; darting forward on hands and knees and throwing herself into Cassandra. As her slender, stick-thin body crashed into the Seeker’s own she gave her an embrace tight around her shoulders, and buried her face firmly against the older woman’s throat. Her emotions bubbled over in that moment and her voice filled the room in a sudden sob, her wail no doubt heard far past the door and into the hall beyond.

“It’s not your fa-fa-faauuuuuult!” She would’ve loved to have been strong for Cassandra, but...some things were just too much to ask of a child. She could forgive Cassandra for her failure. She could comfort her as she lamented it. But she absolutely could not, under any circumstances, do so with dry eyes and a steady level of breathing. The tiny thing openly sobbed against her friend in a way she hadn’t since the first night of terror, and when Cassandra’s arms closed around her in return, it was just as comforting as it was then. The powerful, motherly arms of the older woman locked around Shissa’s tiny frame, pulling the elf into her lap and holding her fiercely close.

Cassandra might have failed the past day, but there was no question in either of their minds - if the doors suddenly opened and a line of archers stood at the ready, she wouldn’t of hesitated to spin around and use her body to protect the child. As the two embraced Cassandra pressed her face down to the top of Shissa’s head, and afforded the girl something that few others had ever witnessed - a glimpse of the stoic Seeker behind the bold layer she presented. She was strong and obstinate, yes, but there was a softer side that few would believe. A softer side that was now the sole treasure of the child she was sworn to protect.

“...I do not know what the Maker wants of you, Shissa.” She whispered, and even sniffled as emotion quivered through her. Her arms tightened; almost to the point of making it hard for Shissa to breathe, but they were gasps she was glad to be denied. “...but you will have me at your side through it all. And I would not even let Him hurt you.”

Shissa, from the pressure of Cassandra’s arms and the quaking in her heart, wasn’t quite able to answer. All she could do was hug Cassandra right back and sob against the older woman’s throat; unleashing the torrent of emotions that had been building up all this time. It was a rare moment of raw emotion from the stoic older woman; a moment in which she allowed herself to be as genuine and true as others were on a daily basis. There were people in their own resistance force that would have laughed at the idea of her being motherly, and yet...if any of those same people dared threaten this little elf girl with the cursed hand, Seeker Cassandra Pentaghast would have ripped them limb from limb.

***

“I won’t do it, Curly!” Shissa had never heard Varric angry before, but it sure sounded like he was as she and Cassandra made their way to the meeting room in Haven. The door was still closed so the others weren’t able to see their approach, but Varric’s voice was loud, irate, with a hint of fear riding in his tone. “You don’t know what she’s like! I’m not going to add her into this mess, it’ll only make things worse!”

“Varric, you can’t be serious!” Cullen’s voice followed, along with the heavy sound of two platemail clad hands slamming down against the same war table. “After all that’s happened, clearly you can see we need the help! We don’t have the soldiers to keep the Templars and the Mages at bay! What else do you expect us to do?!”

“Something sane! Something that doesn’t put anyone else in danger!” Varric again roared, and Shissa’s eyes went wide from the sound. Already Cassandra was moving faster to the door; no doubt to quell any conflict that was brewing. The little elf kept close pace with her, finally after drying her eyes from the moment she shared with the older woman. As they neared the door Varric’s voice just kept bellowing, wearing a furious tone that just sounded so...unnatural coming from him. “You bring her into this and I guarantee it - you’ll be too busy crying into our graves to regret it!”

“Gentlemen, please!” Josephine’s voice carried out, just as Cassandra managed to swing the door open. She very likely wouldn’t have been able to claim the peace, but as she gestured towards Shissa and Cassandra it was enough of a distraction to cool some tempers. “Seeker Pentaghast has returned with our young friend.”

It was impressive; even a bit heartwarming to see the change in Varric in that moment. He had gone from red-faced and furious to the softened expression of a friendly uncle the second he turned to Shissa, and even took a knee to bring himself a little closer to her level. As if he hadn’t been yelling and pounding the table seconds earlier he stretched out his arms for a hug - one that Shissa was quite happy to rush over and deliver.

“Hey, Twig. I told ‘em you’d be back on your feet by morning.” He chuckled, and though his hug was far from Cassandra’s motherly embrace, it was still enough to bring a smile to a scared young girl’s face. He even reached up a hand and ruffled her mess of shaggy black hair, beaming as he did so. “I appreciate you saving our rumps every time we go out, but I could do without the extra long naps you like to take after.” Shissa smiled brightly at the light teasing, though her curiosity was still running wild. She looked from Varric up to where Cullen stood beside Josephine, the former of whom had done a much worse job than Varric at swallowing how angry he was moments ago.

“Is something wrong? Who were you fighting about?” She asked, tilting her head and gazing across the line of adults. Surely one of them; any of them, would feel the need to tell her! Unfortunately no one seemed particularly eager to voice up the truth, though Cassandra did step forward to stand alongside Varric and Shissa.

“No one you need concern yourself with, Shissa.” She responded simply, and let her eyes narrow upon Cullen. “I thought I had made my opposition clear to that path as well. I agree with Varric - that woman has no place within the Inquisition.”

“...if you insist.” Cullen clearly wasn’t as sold on the idea as the other two were, but he wasn’t about to argue the point with Shissa right there before him, and Josephine gently prodding him. Still, he folded his armored arms across his chest and gave a huffing noise, irritation lining his brow as he continued. “But we’re still going to need assistance. Soldiers. Specialists. Doctors, for Maker’s sake.”

“Several of the Orlesian houses have offered to send us medical professionals.” Josephine chirped up at that, and flipped through a few pages on her clipboard. “Naturally, they are all attempting to curry favor with the Inquisition in case this little movement turns into something more...regal. They all want to be the ones to say they supported us during our infancy, it would cast well upon them if we were to succeed.”

“And if we fail they just pretend like we were dogs getting put down. Like it was a mercy done by the Chantry, or the Mages, or...whomever.” Cullen rolled his eyes, and shook his head in obstinate fashion. “We don’t need their help, Josephine. I doubt any of those Orlesian doctors even knew how to triage real wounds. They’re glorified hairdressers, I bet.”

“Curly, you’re really in a mood today.” Varric chirped up. By that point the others were glaring at the reformed Templar, and Varric was leading the charge on that front. “You’ve been a miserable stonesucker all morning. You were just trying to push us recruiting a full blown sociopath, but Orlesian doctors are a step too far?”

“...some of those Orlesian doctors happen to be friends, as well.” Josephine replied curtly, and even walked from one end of the table to the other so she could stand alongside the others. To most people it would’ve been a simple gesture, but for a woman as deeply rooted in culture and etiquette, it was a bold statement indeed. “Seeker Cassandra, may I have your permission to choose which houses we accept help from at my discretion?”

“Of course, Josephine. Nobody knows them better than you.” Came the stoic woman’s response, though she was quick to raise a hand and diminish any of Cullen’s further complaints. He’d have to sit there red-faced and fuming for the rest of the meeting, for it was clear that the Seeker had heard enough from him for one morning. “We need to discuss the obvious. It has become clear that the Templars are - I loathe to say - too far gone. They nearly murdered a child and her dwarf bodyguard for no reason, and everything we have seen thus far tells us that their behavior is static across the Hinterlands.” She paused, gave a pointed look at Cullen, and spoke in a firm voice. “...is there any opposition to that statement?”

“...no.” Cullen admitted, though it clearly pained him to do so. The others all shook their heads in agreement, including Shissa who had experienced their hostility first hand. The lanky young lady moved up to the war table and gazed across it while the other adults continued their conversation, her eyes tracing back and forth over the map. Though she stood beside Cassandra she knew everyone there was a friend; even Cullen with his bright red cheeks and clear irritation. These were serious times of life and death, and emotions no doubt ran deep. She kept quiet with her tongue pressing idly between her teeth, simply letting her elven gaze dart from person to person.

“If the Templars can’t be reasoned with, then maybe we could--”

“Oh, I truly hope you’re not about to suggest what I think you are.”

“What would you have us do? Wage war against them both while also trying to seal the Breach? We have limited resources!”

“She’s right, Ruffles. Can’t fight ‘em all.”

“...I tremendously don’t like this idea.”

The adults fell into conversation, and Shissa started to let her mind wander, as children did. She had just woken up and her breakfast was still warm in her belly, and yet it had already been one heck of a long day. The others were debating about bringing the Mages into the Inquisition, and though Shissa didn’t know much about them, she did know one important thing: they weren’t the ones that tried to murder herself and Scout Harding. The girl bit on her bottom lip as she leaned against the war table, looking up to a nearby window casting a long shaft of light on the table. A light that could’ve easily reminded her of the Fade, if she cared to dwell on that horrible nightmare. When that thought started to creep at the edges of her mind and nibble at the back of her thoughts she quickly pushed it aside, choosing instead to let her eyes dart back to the others and pay closer attention. Boring adult things were absolutely better than horrible nightmare demon memories.

“-it’s decided, then. We’ll make for Redcliffe. This time, a full group.” Cassandra spoke simply, and moved a hand down to brace her fingers against Shissa’s back. “This time, Shissa will remain in Haven. We’re not going to close any tears in the Fade...we’re simply going to find allies. There is no reason to put her in further danger.”

“Agreed.” Cullen nodded, and it was clear the discussion had done him good. His face was more calm now - admirable, considering how much he had opposed the mages. He even let his eyes dart down to Shissa herself, and offered his best “friendly uncle” voice - it had a loooooong way to go before it matched Varric’s. “How about that? You’ll get to stay here with us in the war room. Maybe we can try to hone those skills of yours.”

“But...but I want to go.” Shissa blurted out, much to the surprise of the others. She shuffled a little closer to Cassandra and even sought out the larger woman’s hand; letting her tiny grip slip inside of it and seeing her protection once more. “If that’s where Seeker Cassandra is going.”

“Shissa, we can’t bring you along. But I swear, you will be safer here with the Inquisition protecting you.” Cassandra smiled a bit, and squeezed the girl’s hand. “I promise, I will return safely. It will only take a few da-”

“No! No, you promised!” The elf girl suddenly responded, spinning on a heel and looking at Cassandra. Her eyes were wide in that moment and the color had drained from her cheeks; memories of that horrible, horrible dream flooding through her. The voices had said...they’d suffer. They had promised it. They had sworn it, just like Cassandra was swearing now to return. And though little Shissa had been tremendously brave up to that point, her courage was rapidly failing the longer this madness went on. “You promised to protect me! You promised you’d keep me safe! You can’t do that if the Mages kill you!”

It was quite clear to everyone in the room - the girl was terrified to be pulled apart from Cassandra. For good reason; the Seeker had been a constant source of strength and bravery for her from the second she had woken up with an aching hand and a dark destiny. She was scared for herself...she was scared for the Seeker...and that fear was building up inside of her to a tremendous degree; so much so that even the typically well-behaved child was acting out in sharp cries and a high pitched, almost angry voice.

Sure, she was angry. She was afraid. She was...a great many things, and the comfort of the others could only go so far. What good were the sweet promises of humans and dwarves against demons? What good was Cassandra’s promise to stay safe when a much more powerful creature promised to break her?

“Shissa, please, listen-”

“No! No, no, no!” The girl shut her eyes tight and stamped her foot, the closest thing to a tantrum the young lady had ever fallen into. Cassandra had been serving as her surrogate mother, and was very quickly coming face to face with one of the many facets of the job - consoling a child whose fears ran their heart. The only difference was that unlike normal kids, Shissa’s fears were tangible. Volatile. Real. “If you go, and if they...if the demons...if the mages...if...no no no!”

Shissa suddenly rushed to Cassandra, latching her arms tight around the Seeker’s waist and giving her as fierce a hug as she could manage. The Seeker even stumbled back a step from the impact, but she caught the girl as best she was able and pressed a hand against her back. The older woman’s face lined with concern and worry; she was the least capable woman in the Inquisition to handle something like this - when her duties to the child became somehow more than “keep her physically safe from harm.” Much like Shissa herself, Cassandra was in all new territory...and though she was trying to be strong, there was plenty of reason for her to worry.

She was almost thankful when a distraction came in the form of a knock on the door, and the sudden appearance of Leliana. The redhead slipped into the meeting chamber with a slightly coy smile on her face; looking her usual mischievous self as she gazed across the faces of the others. A sobbing child, a bewildered Seeker, and a few advisors that looked lost and frustrated. Things were going well, apparently!

“I certainly hope I’m not interrupting.” Leliana smiled, and gently quirked a brow. “But Seeker Pentaghast, there’s someone here that’s asking to speak to you. Well, you...and Lady Shissa.”

“...huh?” Shissa looked up from Cassandra’s lap, still sniffling but clearly intrigued and curious. Cassandra's response was quite the same, though she dealt in a healthy dose more hostile suspicion than the child did. She gave a tiny grunt from the back of her throat and tightened her arms a little more around Shissa; instinctively keeping her closer just in case whoever it was that was asking for their attention wished her ill.

“Let me guess. The Chantry.” She sighed heavily, and rolled her eyes. “Chancellor Roderick has likely gotten them up in arms about an elf child that’s been chosen by the Maker. If they’re here to see it for themselves, then tell them they’ll be left wanting. Shissa is no carnival attraction to be used to appease their curiosity.”

“The Chantry is more than curious.” Cullen remarked dryly, and though he was loathe to say it before Shissa, the truth was sometimes healthy. “They could be here to demand they be allowed to take her. They’ll have a hell of a fight on their hands if they do.”

“T-Take me?!”

“Relax, Twig, they’re not going to touch you.” Varric chimed up, and already he had unsheathed Bianca. There were a few soft clicks as he began to load the weapon, and though he was taking a firmly aggressive attitude no one in the room cared to debate it. They were all of the same mind - if the Chantry was there for Shissa, they would find only resistance.

Except Leliana. Leliana was simply giggling.

“Oh, it must truly be one of those mornings that we’re expecting enemies around every corner, no?” She cooed in her melodic tone, shaking her head and stepping forward. With her natural grace she approached Cassandra and Shissa; for the latter she offered a gentle touch to the tip of her nose, enough to make the elf girl blink and then instantly reach up a hand to rub it. “She’s not from the Chantry. If I were to guess, she’s never even stepped foot in one.”

“Then...who?”

***

By the time Shissa and Cassandra made their way through Haven, her eyes had dried once more. She was getting used to pushing down the tears and the heartache - something that she suspected was a skill that all soldiers had to learn. She might not have been swinging a sword on the frontline, but after the previous day she certainly felt like she was becoming one of them. The girl stuck out her chest as she walked and swung her arms with a firm gait; her face a firm mask as she plodded along beside Cassandra. The Seeker even gazed down at her and offered a tiny smirk, complemented with a small chuckle.

“...what?” Shissa asked, looking indignant yet maintaining her gait. She was doing her best Cassandra imitation; if the Seeker could always move with power, elegance, and strength, then so could she! Maybe. Possibly. Cassandra just beamed; a wide smile that had been on her face more and more in the days since she had met Shissa. If nothing else, the child was giving the Seeker a reason to find some mirth in all this sorrow.

“Nothing at all, child.” Cassandra responded as her smile lessened, completely fading by the time she looked up once more. They weren’t yet done having that discussion about Shissa staying behind, but there were more pressing matters at hand. Whoever it was that called for their attention needed to be tended to, and if they were a threat...dealt with. The stockades of Haven were far from perfect, but they’d suit them well enough if anyone had come to cause trouble for the Inquisition. When they arrived at the meeting spot; just outside the tavern, Cassandra jerked her head in the direction of a figure leaning against the building, and murmured softly to the young girl beside her. “There she is. Be careful and cautious - follow my lead.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Came Shissa’s response, and fell right back into her Pentaghast-esque swagger. Her face was a mask of firm stoicness - or perhaps childish elven cuteness, it was hard to tell. But as they neared the woman leaning against the tavern’s wall she quickly realized she wasn’t the only elf in this conversation. As she heard the two approach their target turned to face them, and immediately Shissa was struck by...what had to be the most un-elf elf she had ever met.

Blonde hair was poorly cropped around her head in a makeshift bowl cut; clearly done more for function than style or beauty. She was short and thin and dressed in clothes that looked like they were looted off a dead jester, with a bow and quiver strapped to her back. As soon as she saw the pair approach she drew a wide smile across heavily freckled features, and that smile grew and grew the closer they came until it erupted into full blown laughter. Not derisive, not cruel, just...laughter. Pure, unbridled, joyful mirth.

What a rare thing this week.

“Is there something...funny to you?” Cassandra introduced herself in proper fashion; standing straight and intimidating and glowering at the elf from a few feet away. She kept herself a half-step ahead of Shissa, always ready to throw herself before the child in case of danger. “Are you the one that called for us?”

The elf in question lifted her head, flashed wide, charming eyes to Cassandra, and then to Shissa. Her laughter stopped but her joy remained spread across her lips, and she pinched her tongue between her teeth a split second before finally explaining herself.

“Right right, I did! I just...the two of you look so funny together!” Her voice sounded immediately, instantly familiar, and Shissa’s elf ears perked at the tone. “We got this cute lil’ mouse of a kit, and then Mrs. ‘Lookit me, I’m damn fit and I could crush Darkspawn with my arse!’” She was so taken by the pair that her laughter flowed forward once more, and she was forced to hold her belly. “Like one of them Qunari plays, yeah? Some warrior caste hornboy finds a kit and doesn’t know tits about raisin’ ‘im! It’s just...It’s funny ‘cause that ain’t somethin’ a warrior hornboy’d usually do, y’know?!”

Cassandra was immediately irritated - one of her eyes twitching, her hands flexing into fists, and very clearly mere seconds from throwing this shaggy blonde elf out on her ass. Every time it looked like she was about to lunge for her the elf wobbled the side out of reach - and she carried a scent of ale with her.

“Why. Are. You. Here.” Cassandra’s voice was slow and heavy - as if each word was a blow rained down upon the elf’s tiny body. It was enough to make her look up again with a grin, and though she gave a snorting short laugh first, she let herself lower with an elegant bow.

“Red Jenny, Mrs. Damn Fit.” The elf introduced herself, to which Cassandra made an instinctive motion towards a blade - a blade she unfortunately wasn’t wearing in the moment. Clearly, the name resonated with her. “I hear tell the lil’st Inquisibaby got her way with a bow, and I...am here...to train her.” Her words finished up in a tone that mocked Cassandra’s own. It would’ve likely earned her the well-deserved toss out on her ass in that moment, but Shissa suddenly pushed forward. She stepped between the elf and the Seeker, her eyes wide and her throat tight, but a smile spreading across her face.

“Hi! I’m Shissa!” She beamed; much to Cassandra’s dismay. She wouldn’t be able to explain it to the woman that had sworn to protect her, but she knew this elf meant her no harm. Even though the girl’s words were enough to send Cassandra into a tantrum of her own. “Welcome to the Inquisition, Red Jenny!”

End of Chapter 5.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! There's plenty more to come as we weave through the story of Inquisition through Shissa's eyes. I hope you check back to see where it goes from here!


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